# Accident 20010818022649A: Aerosp AS355F1, Vinton, CA, August 18, 2001

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 18, 2001, 14:25 local time
- Place: Vinton, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Pwr On Vertical Ldng/Rtrcrft
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: R7MA
- Location: 39.7096° N, 120.2108° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.7096&lon=-120.2108&mi=10
- Aircraft: N53LH, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N53LH-2013-06-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aerospatiale AS 355F1 (registry code 8680810, https://openairdocs.org/model/aerospatiale-as-355f1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AEROSP AS355F1
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C20F
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 3,750 total, 275 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX01LA283](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA283) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010818022649A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON AUGUST 18, 2001, AT 1432 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AEROSPATIALE AS 355F1 HELICOPTER, N53LH, ROLLED ONTO ITS SIDE AND CAME TO REST DURING TAKEOFF AT A REMOTE LOCATION, 22 MILES NORTHWEST OF RENO, NEVADA. THE COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATED PILOT, TWO FLIGHT NURSES, AND ONE PATIENT WERE NOT INJURED. THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE ON-DEMAND, AIR TAXI, MEDICAL TRANSPORT FLIGHT WAS OPERATED UNDER 14 CFR PART 135, BY ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOLDINGS, LLC. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A COMPANY VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT, DURING LIFTOFF, HE ENCOUNTERED A LOSS OF VISUAL REFERENCE DUE TO A "BROWN OUT" CONDITION. HE LANDED THE HELICOPTER AND PERMITTED THE DUST TO CLEAR AND TOOK OFF A SECOND TIME. HE AGAIN ENCOUNTERED A "BROWN OUT," BUT THIS TIME A SKID CONTACTED THE GROUND AND A DYNAMIC ROLLOVER ENSUED.             (-23) DURING LIFT OFF, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A BROWN OUT DUE TO DUST AND LOST CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER WHICH CAUSED A DYNAMIC ROLLOVER.              (.4) ON AUGUST 18, 2001, AT 1425 HOURS PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AEROSPATIALE AS 355F1 HELICOPTER, N53LH, ROLLED ONTO ITS SIDE AND CAME TO REST DURING TAKEOFF AT A REMOTE LOCATION, 4 MILES EAST OF VINTON, CALIFORNIA. THE COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATED PILOT, TWO FLIGHT NURSES, AND ONE PATIENT WERE NOT INJURED. THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE ON-DEMAND, AIR TAXI, MEDICAL TRANSPORT FLIGHT WAS OPERATED UNDER 14 CFR PART 135, BY ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOLDINGS, LLC. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A COMPANY VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT WAS DESTINED FOR RENO, NEVADA. ACCORDING TO THE OPERATOR, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT, DURING LIFTOFF, HE ENCOUNTERED A LOSS OF VISUAL REFERENCE DUE TO A "BROWN OUT" CONDITION AT 3 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND THE HELICOPTER WITHOUT ANY VISUAL REFERENCE; HOWEVER, THE RIGHT SKID CONTACTED THE GROUND FIRST. A ROLLING MOTION TO THE LEFT WAS CREATED AND, AFTER THE LEFT SKID CONTACTED THE GROUND, A DYNAMIC ROLLOVER ENSUED. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON ITS LEFT SIDE.

## 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 LAX01LA283](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA283), Aug 18, 2001: Aerospatiale AS 355F1 (N53LH), Vinton, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's selection of an unsuitable landing site, which caused "brown-out" conditions during departure liftoff and resulted in loss of 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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