# Accident 20061105027199A: Snias AS350B3, Apple Valley, CA, November 5, 2006

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 5, 2006, 09:24 local time
- Place: Apple Valley, CA
- Airport: Apple Valley Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Sfl Autorotation
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 34.5833° N, 117.1833° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.5833&lon=-117.1833&mi=10
- Aircraft: N109HP (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: SNIAS AS350B3
- Reported engine: TMECA ARRIEL2B
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 225 total, 60 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX07TA029](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX07TA029) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20061105027199A

## Narrative

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

(-23) THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO CONDUCT TRAINING FOR A CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY PATROL AIR OPERATIONS PILOT TRAINEE. THE TRAINEE WAS IN THE RIGHT SEAT AND THE INSTRUCTOR IN THE LEFT SEAT. AFTER PERFORMING A SERIES OF EMERGENCY PROCEDURES AT VICTORVILLE AIRPORT, THE TRAINEE THEN FLEW TO APPLE VALLEY AIRPORT. WINDS WERE DETERMINED TO BE CALM BASED ON VISUAL OBSERVATION OF SMOKE SOUTH OF THE FIELD AND THE WIND SOCK. THE TRAINEE UTILIZED A NORMAL APPROACH TO THE DESIGNATED LANDING AREA FOR THE RAMP. THE TRAINEE THEN BEGAN TO HOVER-TAXI TO THE CONCRETE PARKING AREA AT A HOVER HEIGHT OF APPROXIMATELY 3 FEET AT A PACE COMPARABLE TO A NORMAL WALK. AFTER THE HELICOPTER WAS ALIGNED WITH THE INTENDED PARKING AREA, THE INSTRUCTOR ANNOUNCED "HOVERING AUTO" AND THE INSTRUCTOR ROLLED THE THROTTLE FROM THE "VOL" TO THE IDLE POSITION. THE TRAINEE ABRUPTLY LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AND APPLIED LEFT PEDAL. THE INSTRUCTOR APPLIED UP COLLECTIVE AS SOON AS HE PERCEIVED THE DOWNWARD COLLECTIVE INPUT. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED UP AND YAWED LEFT. THE INSTRUCTOR GRABBED THE CYCLIC, STOPPED THE YAW, LEVELED THE AIRCRAFT, AND CUSHIONED THE LANDING WITH COLLECTIVE APPLICATION.

## 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 LAX07TA029](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX07TA029), Nov 5, 2006: Eurocopter France AS350B3 (N109HP), Apple Valley, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's improper use of the collective control during a practice hover autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing. A factor in the accident was the certificated flight instructor's inadequate…

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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