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20030430012779A

Accident · Minor damage
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FAA accident report · Snias AS 350 B3 · Napa, CA · April 30, 2003

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
April 30, 2003 · 19:20 local
Place
Napa, CA
Airport
Napa County Airport
Phase of flight
Sfl Autorotation
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator
CH0M
Damage
Minor damage
Aircraft
N341HP
NTSB investigation
NTSBLAX03GA145
Reported as
Snias AS350B3
Reported engine
TMECA ARRIEL2B
People aboard
3
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
3,394 total3,283 in this make and model191 in the last 90 days
N341HPRegistration cancelled Nov 14, 2025 · Eurocopter AS 350 B3S/N 3407 · Built 2001Airframe modelEurocopter AS 350 B3Engine modelTurbomeca ARRIUS-2B seriesTurbo-shaft

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On 4/30/2003 @ 1920 hrs., during autorotation training, the installed turbomeca arriel 2 engine experienced an overspeed. Mr. Bakker stated that during the maneuver, he rolled the throttle on and noticed the rotor RPM increased at a high rate of speed and went completely off scale. At that time Mr. Bakker stated he immediately rolled the throttle back in the off direction. The helicopter contacted runway 24. The apc tower notified Mr. Bakker of a fire on the port side of the engine compartment. The three helicopter occupants evacuated the helicopter with no injuries. Preliminary investigation revealed an uncontained failure of the power turbine section of the engine had occured. The engine was removed from the aircraft and shipped to the manufacturer for further inspection and investigation. (-23 amendment) this report is amended to change the status from incident to accident. After review of more detailed technical documents related to the damage of the aircraft, it is necessary to classify this event as an accident.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON 4/30/2003 @ 1920 HRS., DURING AUTOROTATION TRAINING, THE INSTALLED TURBOMECA ARRIEL 2 ENGINE EXPERIENCED AN OVERSPEED. MR. BAKKER STATED THAT DURING THE MANEUVER, HE ROLLED THE THROTTLE ON AND NOTICED THE ROTOR RPM INCREASED AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED AND WENT COMPLETELY OFF SCALE. AT THAT TIME MR. BAKKER STATED HE IMMEDIATELY ROLLED THE THROTTLE BACK IN THE OFF DIRECTION. THE HELICOPTER CONTACTED RUNWAY 24. THE APC TOWER NOTIFIED MR. BAKKER OF A FIRE ON THE PORT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE THREE HELICOPTER OCCUPANTS EVACUATED THE HELICOPTER WITH NO INJURIES. PRELIMINARY INVESTIGATION REVEALED AN UNCONTAINED FAILURE OF THE POWER TURBINE SECTION OF THE ENGINE HAD OCCURED. THE ENGINE WAS REMOVED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND SHIPPED TO THE MANUFACTURER FOR FURTHER INSPECTION AND INVESTIGATION. (-23 AMENDMENT) THIS REPORT IS AMENDED TO CHANGE THE STATUS FROM INCIDENT TO ACCIDENT. AFTER REVIEW OF MORE DETAILED TECHNICAL DOCUMENTS RELATED TO THE DAMAGE OF THE AIRCRAFT, IT IS NECESSARY TO CLASSIFY THIS EVENT AS AN ACCIDENT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX03GA145Accident · No injuriesFinal reportNapa, CAthe pilot under instruction's inadvertent activation of the collective manual fuel slide lock, which led to engine and main rotor overspeeds due to excessive fuel flow during power application. This resulted in failures of the gas generator turbine (N1)…May 1, 2003 · Substantial damage