# Accident 20000511008029A: Snias AS350B2, Mesa, AZ, May 11, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 11, 2000, 13:34 local time
- Place: Mesa, AZ
- Airport: Falcon Field Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Prw On Run Landing (Rotorcraft
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: R7MA
- Location: 33.4394° N, 111.8503° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4394&lon=-111.8503&mi=10
- Aircraft: N851HW, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N851HW-2008-05-14) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Eurocopter AS 350 B2 (registry code 8680950, https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-as-350-b2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL-1SER (registry code 60030, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-1ser) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SNIAS AS350B2
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 10,800 total, 4,500 in this make and model, 22 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX00LA195](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA195) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000511008029A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) INSTRUCTOR WAS GIVING FLIGHT INSTRUCTION TO A NEW HIRE IN PREPARATION FOR HIS PART 135 CK RIDE. THE STUDENT WAS PERFORMING A HYDRAULIC OFF RUN ON LANDING. DURING THIS PROCEDURE, JUST PRIOR TO TOUCH DOWN THE A/C CONTROLS BECAME VERY STIFF. AT THIS POINT THE INSTRUCTOR DIRECTED THE STUDENT TO DISENGAGE THE HYDRAULIC ISOLATION SWITCH ON THE COLLECTIVE WHICH HE DID. THE CONTROLS REMAINED STIFF, AND THE A/C IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A LEFT TURNING NEAR LATERAL MOVEMENT. (.4) ON MAY 11, 2000, AT 1334 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A EUROCOPTER AS350B2, N851HW, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DURING A HARD LANDING AT FALCON FIELD, MESA, ARIZONA. THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING OPERATED BY ROCKY MOUNTAIN HELICOPTERS, PROVO, UTAH, AS AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. THE COMMERCIAL RATED CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR, COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT TRAINEE, AND COMMERCIAL RATED PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. THE LOCAL AREA FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT FALCON FIELD AT AN UNSPECIFIED TIME. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR REPORTED THAT HE WAS GIVING FLIGHT INSTRUCTION TO A NEW-HIRE PILOT IN PREPAR                                                    ATION FOR HIS 14 CFR PART 135 CHECK RIDE. ANOTHER NEW-HIRE PILOT WAS SEATED IN THE BACK TO OBSERVE THE TRAINING. THE PILOT TRAINEE WAS PERFORMING A HYDRAULICS-OFF, RUN-ON LANDING. AS THE STUDENT APPROACHED THE TOUCHDOWN POINT THE INSTRUCTOR REMINDED HIM TO KEEP HIS AIRSPEED UP. HE REPORTED THAT JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRCRAFT CONTROLS BECAME VERY STIFF. AT THAT POINT, THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR DIRECTED THE PILOT TRAINEE TO RE-ENGAGE THE HYDRAULICS ISOLATION SWITCH ON THE COLLECTIVE CONTROL. THE STUDENT RE-ENGAGED THE HYDRAULICS BUT REPORTED THAT THE CONTROLS REMAINED STIFF AND HE WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY APPLYING FORWARD CYCLIC. AS THE INSTRUCTOR GOT ON THE CONTROLS IT STARTED A SLOW TURN TO THE LEFT. AS THE INSTRUCTOR ATTEMPTED TO COUNTERACT THE TURN RATE INCREASED. THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A LEFT TURN WITH REAR LATERAL MOVEMENT. THE LANDING GEAR SKIDS COLLAPSED. THE OPERATOR, ROCKY MOUNTAIN HELICOPTERS, FAILED TO RESPOND TO SEVERAL ATTEMPTS BY THE SAFETY BOARD TO FILE AN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT REPORT, FORM 6120.1/2.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX00LA195](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX00LA195), May 11, 2000: Eurocopter AS350B2 (N851HW), Mesa, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: the instructor pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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