# Accident 20030207001159A: Snias AS350B2, Vernal, UT, February 7, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 7, 2003, 09:00 local time
- Place: Vernal, UT
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Location: 40.4517° N, 109.5381° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Vernal, UT, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4517&lon=-109.5381&mi=10
- Aircraft: CFLHA (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: SNIAS AS350B2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030207001159A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON FEBRUARY 7, 2003, AT 0900 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, AN AEROSPATIALE AS-350BII HELICOPTER, CFLHA, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN FOLLOWING LOSS OF CONTROL IN FLIGHT NEAR VERNAL, UTAH. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE SERIOUSLY INJURED. ABITIBI HELICOPTERS, OF LA SARRE, QUEBEC (CANADA), WAS OPERATING THE AIRCRAFT UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 133. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT THAT WAS ORIGINATING AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE PILOT TOLD THE UINTAH COUNTY SHERIFF THAT HE WAS TRANSPORTING HIS ENGINEER [A&P MECHANIC] APPROXIMATELY 5 NAUTICAL MILES TO ANOTHER SITE. ON DEPARTING, HIS 100 FOOT LONG LINE BECAME ENTANGLED IN HIS TAIL ROTOR. THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST ON ITS RIGHT SIDE, SEPARATING THE MAIN ROTOR AND TAIL ROTOR. (-23) ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^                                      THE OPERATOR WAS OPERATING UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF A NAFTA AGREEMENT TO PERFORM EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATIONS IN SUPPORT OF A SEISMIC EXPLORATION OPERATION. THE PILOT AND MECHANIC HAD JUST COMPLETED SOME MAINTENANCE ON THE AIRCRAFT, A FUEL                                                                GOVERNOR PROBLEM. AFTER COMPLETING THE MAINTENANCE THEY REPOSITIONED TO A NEARBY REFUEL SITE TO REFUEL AND ATTACH THE 125' LONGLINE AND BAG-CATCHER. THE INTENT WAS FOR THE MECHANIC TO OBSERVE AND TROUBLE SHOOT THE SPECIALIZED GPS NAVIGATION SYSTEM USED IN THE SEISMIC OPERATION IN FLIGHT WITH THE LINE ATTACHED IN THAT IT REPORTEDLY INTERFERES WITH THE GPS SIGNAL. AFTER REFUELING AND ATTACHING THE LINE THE PILOT MOMENTARILY FORGOT THE LINE WAS ATTACHED AND EXECUTED A NORMAL TAKEOFF PROFILE INSTEAD OF REPOSITIONING OVER THE LOAD AND DEPARTING VERTICAL. VERY SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE LINE SOMEHOW RECOILED INTO THE TAILROTOR CAUSING IMMEDIATE AND SEVERE LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THIS ALL OCCURRED AT A MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF APPROXIMATELY 35-40 FEET AGL. THE PILOT REMEMBERS SPINNING SEVERAL TIMES AND THEN AGGRESSIVELY LOWERING THE COLLECTIVE. THE END RESULT WAS SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT AND PRIMARILY SPINAL INJURIES TO THE PILOT AND MECHANIC. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^

## 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

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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