What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On November 3, 2003, at approximately 1747 hours mountain standard time, helicopter N820NA, AS350-B3, serial no. 3602, call sign "native 9", was destroyed after a complete hydraulic system failure and subsequent accident at Falcon Field Airport, Mesa, AZ. The airline transport rated pilot, 2 flight nurses, and 1 patient sustained minor injuries. The aircraft operated under 14 CFR part 135 as an emergency medical service (EMS) flight by native American air ambulance (S4WA), was destroyed during the impact sequence. The helicopter was enroute from show low, AZ to scottsdale memorial hospital (osborn), scottsdale, AZ. After descending to approximately 900 feet AGL near fountain hills, AZ, the pilot experienced a complete hydaulic system failure and corresponding hydraulic warning indication. The pilot contacted phoenix tower (kphx) to report the failure, and requested to divert to Mesa Falcon field (ffz). The pilot did not declare an emergency. The pilot also reported that he was unable to remove his hands from the aircraft controls, and therefore asked phoenix tower to contact falson field tower to notify of his intent to land. The pilot reported to phoenix tower that he had 2+hours of fuel remaining. Phoenix tower personnel contacted Mesa Falcon field tower via the "69" land line, and reported that "native 9" was inbound to Falcon field with "hydraulic problems", and was unable to speak directly to Falcon tower via radio. Falcon tower then dispatched the Mesa fire department. As the pilot approached Falcon field from the north, he aligned the aircraft with taxiway B2. The pilot and ground witnesses stated that the aircraft approached at approximately 100 feet AGL. As the aircraft approached the intersection of taxiways B2 and E2, the pilot questioned whether Falcon tower was really aware of his presence and he began to slow. As he turned the aircraft into the wind (250 deg.), the pilot lost tail rotor control and began to spin. The aircraft made several rapid spins counter-clockwise aobut it's axis, and impacted the ground heading approximately 110 degrees. During the impact, the tail boom was severed by the main rotor just forward of the tail rotor gearbox. The aircraft then rotated approximately 180 degrees and collapsed the right landing gear skid. The pilot was unable to reach the fuel cut-off switch due to aircraft damage, and the engine/main rotors continued to run for approximately 2+ minutes. The engine was eventually stopped when the Mesa fire department sprayed foam in the engine exhaust.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON NOVEMBER 3, 2003, AT APPROXIMATELY 1747 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, HELICOPTER N820NA, AS350-B3, SERIAL NO. 3602, CALL SIGN "NATIVE 9", WAS DESTROYED AFTER A COMPLETE HYDRAULIC SYSTEM FAILURE AND SUBSEQUENT ACCIDENT AT FALCON FIELD AIRPORT, MESA, AZ. THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT RATED PILOT, 2 FLIGHT NURSES, AND 1 PATIENT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT OPERATED UNDER 14 CFR PART 135 AS AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICE (EMS) FLIGHT BY NATIVE AMERICAN AIR AMBULANCE (S4WA), WAS DESTROYED DURING THE IMPACT SEQUENCE. THE HELICOPTER WAS ENROUTE FROM SHOW LOW, AZ TO SCOTTSDALE MEMORIAL HOSPITAL (OSBORN), SCOTTSDALE, AZ. AFTER DESCENDING TO APPROXIMATELY 900 FEET AGL NEAR FOUNTAIN HILLS, AZ, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A COMPLETE HYDAULIC SYSTEM FAILURE AND CORRESPONDING HYDRAULIC WARNING INDICATION. THE PILOT CONTACTED PHOENIX TOWER (KPHX) TO REPORT THE FAILURE, AND REQUESTED TO DIVERT TO MESA FALCON FIELD (FFZ). THE PILOT DID NOT DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. THE PILOT ALSO REPORTED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE HIS HANDS FROM THE AIRCRAFT CONTROLS, AND THEREFORE ASKED PHOENIX TOWER TO CONTACT FALSON FIELD TOWER TO NOTIFY OF HIS INTENT TO LAND. THE PILOT REPORTED TO PHOENIX TOWER THAT HE HAD 2+HOURS OF FUEL REMAINING. PHOENIX TOWER PERSONNEL CONTACTED MESA FALCON FIELD TOWER VIA THE "69" LAND LINE, AND REPORTED THAT "NATIVE 9" WAS INBOUND TO FALCON FIELD WITH "HYDRAULIC PROBLEMS", AND WAS UNABLE TO SPEAK DIRECTLY TO FALCON TOWER VIA RADIO. FALCON TOWER THEN DISPATCHED THE MESA FIRE DEPARTMENT. AS THE PILOT APPROACHED FALCON FIELD FROM THE NORTH, HE ALIGNED THE AIRCRAFT WITH TAXIWAY B2. THE PILOT AND GROUND WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED AT APPROXIMATELY 100 FEET AGL. AS THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED THE INTERSECTION OF TAXIWAYS B2 AND E2, THE PILOT QUESTIONED WHETHER FALCON TOWER WAS REALLY AWARE OF HIS PRESENCE AND HE BEGAN TO SLOW. AS HE TURNED THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE WIND (250 DEG.), THE PILOT LOST TAIL ROTOR CONTROL AND BEGAN TO SPIN. THE AIRCRAFT MADE SEVERAL RAPID SPINS COUNTER-CLOCKWISE AOBUT IT'S AXIS, AND IMPACTED THE GROUND HEADING APPROXIMATELY 110 DEGREES. DURING THE IMPACT, THE TAIL BOOM WAS SEVERED BY THE MAIN ROTOR JUST FORWARD OF THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX. THE AIRCRAFT THEN ROTATED APPROXIMATELY 180 DEGREES AND COLLAPSED THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR SKID. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE FUEL CUT-OFF SWITCH DUE TO AIRCRAFT DAMAGE, AND THE ENGINE/MAIN ROTORS CONTINUED TO RUN FOR APPROXIMATELY 2+ MINUTES. THE ENGINE WAS EVENTUALLY STOPPED WHEN THE MESA FIRE DEPARTMENT SPRAYED FOAM IN THE ENGINE EXHAUST.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.