# Accident 20010518020349A: Eurocopter AS 350 B2, Houston, TX, May 18, 2001 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: May 18, 2001, 09:25 local time - Place: Houston, TX - Airport: Khou-Tv Heliport - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Pwr On Vertical Ldng/Rtrcrft - Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91) - Operator: USXA - Location: 29.6110° N, 95.1202° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.6110&lon=-95.1202&mi=10 - Aircraft: N311TV, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N311TV-2001-12-13) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Eurocopter AS 350 B2 (registry code 8680950, https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-as-350-b2) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported engine: TMECA ARRIEL1D1 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 11,250 total, 5,470 in this make and model, 175 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW01LA121](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW01LA121) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010518020349A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (.19) ON MAY 18, 2001, AT 0940 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A EUROCOPTER AS-350-B2 HELICOPTER, N311TV, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING AN APPROACH WHEN IT IMPACTED THE HELIPAD ON THE CHANNEL 11 TELEVISION BUILDING IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. THE HELICOPTER WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY U.S. HELICOPTERS INC., OF MARSHVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE HELICOPTER, SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91 BUSINESS FLIGHT. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE CHANNEL 11 HELIPAD. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS MAKING AN APPROACH TO THE HELIPAD, AND WAS 15-20 FEET ABOVE THE HELIPAD, WHEN THE HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED A "HYDRAULIC FAILURE." HE STATED THAT THE HYDRAULIC WARNING LIGHT ON THE CAUTION PANEL ILLUMINATED; HOWEVER, THE WARNING HORN DID NOT ACTIVATE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE HELIPAD WITH THE RIGHT SKID, ROLLED OVER TO THE RIGHT, AND CAME TO REST ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. ACCORDING TO THE FAA INSPECTORS AND A REPRESENTATIVE FROM AMERICAN EUROCOPTER, WHO EXAMINED THE HELICOPTER AND THE ACCIDENT SITE, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES WERE DAMAGED. THE ENGINE MOU NTS AND THE SKIDS SUSTAINED DAMAGE, AND THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT SEPARATED. (-23) ON MAY 18, 2001, AT 0940 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A EUROCOPTER AS-350-B2 HELICOPTER, N311TV, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING AN APPROACH WHEN IT IMPACTED THE HELI-PAD ON THE CHANNEL 11 TELEVISION BUILDING IN HOUSTON, TEXAS. THE HELICOPTER WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY U.S. HELICOPTERS INC., OF MARSHVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE HELICOPTER, SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATION PART 91 BUSINESS FLIGHT. THE LOCAL FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE CHANNEL 11 HELI-PAD. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT HE WAS MAKING AN APPROACH TO THE HELI-PAD, AND WAS 15-20 FEET ABOVE THE HELEPAD, WHEN THE HELICOPTER EXPERIENCED A "HYDRAULIC FAILURE." HE STATED THAT THE HYDRAULIC WARNING LIGHT ON THE CAUTION PANEL ILLUMINATED; HOWEVER, THE WARNING HORN DID NOT ACTIVATE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE HELI-PAD WITH THE RIGHT SKID, ROLLED OVER TO THE RIGHT, AND CAME TO A REST ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES WAS DE STROYED, ENGINE MOUNTS AND THE SKIDS SUSTAINED DAMAGE, AND THE TAIL ROTOR SHAFT SEPARATED. (.4) THE HELICOPTER WAS ON FINAL APPROACH, APPROXIMATELY 15 FEET ABOVE THE ROOF TOP HELIPAD, WHEN THE HELICOPTER'S CONTROLS "BECAME VERY STIFF." THE PILOT OBSERVED THE "HYD" LIGHT ON THE CAUTION PANEL ILLUMINATED; HOWEVER, THE AUDIBLE HYDRAULIC WARNING HORN DID NOT ACTIVATE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE HELIPAD WITH THE RIGHT SKID, AND ROLLED ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE. EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER'S COCKPIT REVEALED THAT THE HYDRAULIC CUT-OFF SWITCH, WHICH IS LOCATED ON THE COLLECTIVE CONTROL, WAS FOUND IN THE CUT-OFF POSITION AND ITS RED PLASTIC GUARD WAS BROKEN (WHEN THE SWITCH IS IN THE CUT-OFF POSITION THE HYDRAULIC WARNING HORN WILL NOT SOUND). THE COCKPIT WAS EXAMINED FOR SHATTERED PIECES OF THE GUARD; HOWEVER, NONE WERE FOUND. THE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM WAS EXAMINED AND NO LEAKS WERE NOTED. A FUNCTIONAL TEST OF THE HYDRAULIC PUMP AND REGULATOR/MANIFOLD REVEALED NO ANOMALIES WITH EITHER UNIT. ## 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 FTW01LA121](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW01LA121), May 18, 2001: Eurocopter AS-350-B2 (N311TV), Houston, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: the failure of the pilot to maintain control of the helicopter following an inadvertent deactivation of the hydraulic system, during final approach. A contributory factor was the unguarded hydraulic… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.