20040120000269A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Snias AS 350 B3 · Mesa, AZ · January 20, 2004

Date: January 20, 2004 · 09:50 local
Place: Mesa, AZ
Airport: Falcon Field Airport
Phase of flight: Sfl Autorotation
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: HEEA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N970AE
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX04CA097
Reported as: Snias AS350B3
Reported engine: TMECA ARRIEL2B
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 4,050 total175 in this make and model7 in the last 90 days

N970AERegistered now · Eurocopter AS 350 B3S/N 3235 · Built 1999 Airframe modelEurocopter AS 350 B3 Engine modelTurbomeca ARRIEL 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) While conducting a training flight in the area of ffz, the pilot entered a practice autorotation @ 1900' (MSL)/80 KIAS. The autorotation was set up straight-in @ 220 degrees to the grass area just north of the runways at ffz. The autorotation descent speed stabilized @ 65 KIAS. The pilot started his flare at 60-65 ft (AGL). A cyclic deceleration was initiated @ 35 ft (AGL). At this time the CFI came on the controls. The main rotor RPM (nr) had decayed and tail rotor authority became non-effective. The helicopter landed onto the soft grass/mud area with the r/h (fwd. Portion of the) skid digging into the soft terrain causing the helicopter to flip onto its r/h side and come to rest. The m/rotor blades contacted the ground during the roll-over, substantially damaging the helicopter. There were no injuries to the three (3) occupants and there was no post-crash fire.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) WHILE CONDUCTING A TRAINING FLIGHT IN THE AREA OF FFZ, THE PILOT ENTERED A PRACTICE AUTOROTATION @ 1900' (MSL)/80 KIAS. THE AUTOROTATION WAS SET UP STRAIGHT-IN @ 220 DEGREES TO THE GRASS AREA JUST NORTH OF THE RUNWAYS AT FFZ. THE AUTOROTATION DESCENT SPEED STABILIZED @ 65 KIAS. THE PILOT STARTED HIS FLARE AT 60-65 FT (AGL). A CYCLIC DECELERATION WAS INITIATED @ 35 FT (AGL). AT THIS TIME THE CFI CAME ON THE CONTROLS. THE MAIN ROTOR RPM (NR) HAD DECAYED AND TAIL ROTOR AUTHORITY BECAME NON-EFFECTIVE. THE HELICOPTER LANDED ONTO THE SOFT GRASS/MUD AREA WITH THE R/H (FWD. PORTION OF THE) SKID DIGGING INTO THE SOFT TERRAIN CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO FLIP ONTO ITS R/H SIDE AND COME TO REST. THE M/ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE GROUND DURING THE ROLL-OVER, SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGING THE HELICOPTER. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO THE THREE (3) OCCUPANTS AND THERE WAS NO POST-CRASH FIRE.

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 LAX04CA097Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportMesa, AZthe pilot's excessive flare and mistimed collective application during a practice autorotation, which resulted in a loss of main rotor rpm and a subsequent hard landing. Also causal, was the flight instructor's delayed remedial action and inadequate…Jan 20, 2004 · Substantial damage