# Accident 20020707015129A: Snias AS350BA, Honolulu, HI, July 7, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 7, 2002, 12:00 local time
- Place: Honolulu, HI
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: MKHA
- Location: 21.3917° N, 157.8333° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=21.3917&lon=-157.8333&mi=10
- Aircraft: N141MK, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N141MK-2018-04-19) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Eurocopter AS 350 BA (registry code 8680955, https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-as-350-ba) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL-1SER (registry code 60030, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-1ser) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SNIAS AS350BA
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX02LA217](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA217) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020707015129A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON JULY 7, 2002, ABOUT 1200 HAWAIIAN STANDARD TIME, A EUROCOPTER AS 350 BA, N141MK, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING A HARD LANDING NEAR HONOLULU, HAWAII. THE HELICOPTER WAS OPERATED BY SCHUMAN AVIATION, LTD, UNDER 14 CFR PART 135. NEITHER THE PILOT NOR THE THREE PASSENGERS WERE INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND A COMPANY FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED ABOUT 1140 FROM HONOLULU, AND WAS DESTINED FOR A LANDING SITE NEAR WILI WILI NUI RIDGE, FOR REPEATER ANTENNA SITE REPAIRS, ABOUT 7 MILES FROM HONOLULU. ACCORDING TO PASSENGER STATMENTS, THE WEATHER WAS GOOD AND THE WINDS WERE CALM. THE HELICOPTER APPROACHED SLOWLY OVER A 6-FOOT FENCE AND SETTLED HARD ONTO DIRT. THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK THE GROUND RESULTING IN LOSS OF A TAIL ROTOR BLADE AND DAMAGE TO THE TAIL BOOM. THE AIRCRAFT ROTATED ABOUT 10 TO 20 DEGREES IN THE DIRT. THE SKIDS WERE NOT DAMAGED. (-23) THE FLIGHT DEPARTED HONOLULU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, IN VMC, AT APPROXIMATELY 1149 HST (2149Z) SUNDAY, JULY 7, 2002 WITH THREE PASSENGERS ABOARD. THE PASSENGERS WERE TO BE TAKEN TO A RADIO TRANSMISSION SITE AT THE TOP OF WILIWILINUI RIDGE ON THE ISLAND OF OAHU (APPROXIMATELY 10 NM DUE EAST OF T   HE HNL VOR). DUE TO LOW VISIBILITY AT THE SITE ON TOP OF THE RIDGE, THE PIC PROCEEDED TO A LANDING ZONE ON THE TRAIL (ELEV. APPROX. 600 FT.) TO WAIT FOR THE WEATHER TO IMPROVE. DURING FINAL APPROACH TO THE LZ, JUST PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRCRAFT REPORTEDLY "DROPPED" FROM A HEIGHT OF ABOUT SIX TO EIGHT FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO APPARENT DAMAGE TO THE SKIDS TO INDICATE A HARD LANDING, HALF OF THE TAIL ROTOR DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT, AND THE REMAINING HALF WAS BARELY ATTACHED. SKID MARKS ON THE GROUND INDICATED THE AIRCRAFT APPARENTLY TURNED 10 TO 20 DEGREES COUNTERCLOCKWISE AFTER TOUCHDOWN. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE TAIL BOOM AS WELL AS THE ROTOR, RENDERING THE AIRCRAFT UNFLYABLE. THERE WAS NO REPORT OF INJURY BY THE CREW OR PASSENGERS.

## 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 LAX02LA217](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX02LA217), Jul 7, 2002: Aerospatiale AS350 BA (N141MK), Honolulu, HI, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's failure to maintain adequate tail rotor clearance from the sloping terrain in unfavorable wind conditions.

## Other reports on N141MK (1)

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

- [Accident 20090105001959A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090105001959A), Jan 5, 2009: Snias AS350BA (N141MK), Honolulu, HI, Substantial damage. (-23) The aircraft was slightly above the ridge line and approximately 5 to 7 feet away from the landing zone at the wiliwilinui ridge electronic tower site…

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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