# Accident 20000924041799A: Snias AS350B3, Ketchikan, AK, September 24, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 24, 2000, 16:15 local time
- Place: Ketchikan, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Sfl Autorotation
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: HXSA
- Location: 55.3571° N, 131.6746° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Ketchikan, AK, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=55.3571&lon=-131.6746&mi=10
- Aircraft: N405AE, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N405AE) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Eurocopter AS 350 B3 (registry code 8680954, https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-as-350-b3) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL-1SER (registry code 60030, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-1ser) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SNIAS AS350B3
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 5,010 total
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000924041799A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON SEPTEMBER 24, 2000, TEMSCO HELICOPTERS INC. EXPERIENCED AN UNCONTAINED IN-FLIGHT ENGINE FAILURE OF A EUROCOPTER AS-350-B3 DURING AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT. A SUCCESSFUL AUTOROTATION WAS ACCOMPLISHED WITH NO INJURIES TO THE TWO PILOTS ON BOARD. DURING THE EVENT SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE DID OCCUR TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE FLIGHT WAS INITIATED AS A COMPANY TRAINING FLIGHT AND THE FAILURE OCCURRED DURING A PRACTICE AUTOROTATION. WHEN THE FLYING PILOT INITIATED THE AUTOROTATION, HE INADVERTENTLY PUSHED THE "BI-STABLE" SLIDE SWITCH ON THE PILOT SIDE COLLECTIVE TWIST GRIP. ACTUATION OF THIS SWITCH ALLOWS OPERATION IN THE AUGMENTED FUEL FLOW RANGE. THIS RANGE OF OPERATION IS FOR EMERGENCY USE IN CASE OF FADEC (FULL AUTHORITY DIGITAL ENGINE CONTROL) MALFUNCTION. IN THIS CASE THE INADVERTENT OPERATION OF THE EMERGENCY MODE RESULTED IN THE OVERSPEED AND SUBSEQUENT UNCONTAINED FAILURE OF THE ENGINE AND LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR DRIVE. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT TOOK CONTROL AND MANAGED TO AUTOROTATE TO A HARD LANDING THAT DAMAGED THE TAIL BOOM AT THE FUSELAGE ATTACH POINT.

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

## Other reports on N405AE (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20100411033509I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100411033509I), Apr 11, 2010: Eurocopter AS 350 B3 (N405AE), Ketchikan, AK, Substantial damage. While attempting to land an AS-350-B3 in a confined area on high mountain pilot [privacy data omitted] contacted a solar panel with a main rotor blade ,…

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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