# Accident 20040120000269A: Snias AS350B3, Mesa, AZ, January 20, 2004

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 20, 2004, 09:50 local time
- Place: Mesa, AZ
- Airport: Falcon Field Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Sfl Autorotation
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: HEEA
- Location: 33.4608° N, 111.7283° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4608&lon=-111.7283&mi=10
- Aircraft: N970AE, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N970AE) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Eurocopter AS 350 B3 (registry code 8680954, https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-as-350-b3) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL series (registry code 60031, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SNIAS AS350B3
- Reported engine: TMECA ARRIEL2B
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 4,050 total, 175 in this make and model, 7 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX04CA097](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04CA097) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040120000269A

## Narrative

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

(-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.

## 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 LAX04CA097](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04CA097), Jan 20, 2004: Eurocopter AS350 B3 (N970AE), Mesa, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: the 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…

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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