# Accident 20030517010899A: Aerosp AS355F2, Bainbridge, GA, May 17, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 17, 2003, 10:55 local time
- Place: Bainbridge, GA
- Airport: Decatur County Industrial Airp
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: USBA
- Location: 30.9747° N, 84.6400° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=30.9747&lon=-84.6400&mi=10
- Aircraft: N42AT, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N42AT-2004-03-26) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aerospatiale AS355F2 ECUREUIL (registry code 8680812, https://openairdocs.org/model/aerospatiale-as355f2-ecureuil) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C20 series (registry code 03020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AEROSP AS355F2
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 1,650 total, 12 in this make and model, 90 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ATL03LA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL03LA095) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030517010899A

## Narrative

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

(-23) PILOT REPORTED HE WAS REPOSITIONING THE AIRCRAFT FOR DEPARTURE AFTER COMPLETING A GROUND REFUELING OPERATION WHEN THE REAR SKID SUPPORT INADVERTENTLY MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO VIBRATE PRIOR TO RESONATING, WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD IMPACT WITH THE GROUND CAUSING STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE BOOM. ON INVESTIGATING DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT, THE FIBERGLASS STARFLEX SPAR ON THE "BLUE BAND" MAIN ROTOR BLADE WAS BROKEN INTO, POSSIBLY AS A RESULT TO A HARD LANDING. BASED ON CONVERSATIONS WITH THE PIC, WE KNOW THE HELICOPTER WAS IN GROUND RESONANCE EFFECT BEFORE THE HARD IMPACT LANDING. THERE WAS ONE PASSENGER, IN ADDITION TO THE PILOT ONBOARD, WITH NO INJURIES REPORTED. NOTE: SEE PILOT'S WRITTEN STATEMENT ATTACHED.

## 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 ATL03LA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ATL03LA095), May 17, 2003: Aerospatiale AS355F2 (N42AT), Bainbridge, GA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's improper flare during an attempted landing.

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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