# Accident 20070713016699A: Snias AS350B3, Paso Robles, CA, July 13, 2007

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 13, 2007, 13:20 local time
- Place: Paso Robles, CA
- Airport: Paso Robles Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Sfl Final Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.6728° N, 120.6269° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.6728&lon=-120.6269&mi=10
- Aircraft: N811HP (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: SNIAS AS350B3
- Reported engine: TMECA ARRIEL2B1
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 10,403 total, 1,955 in this make and model, 98 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX07GA217](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX07GA217) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070713016699A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON JULY 13, 2007 AT 13:20 PDT, N811HP EXPERIENCED AN IN-FLIGHT LOSS OF CONTROL WHILE PERFORMING A HYDRAULICS OFF SIMULATED EMERGENCY PROCEDURE. THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED LEFT AND STRUCK THE GROUND INADVERTENTLY AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE PILOT IN COMMAND (PIC) STATED DURING THE INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT HE HAD PLANNED ON DEMONSTRATING A "HYDRAULICS OFF" APPROACH AND LANDING. WHILE ON DOWNWIND, HE SLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO 60 KTS AND ASKED THE OTHER PILOT WHO OCCUPIED THE RH SEAT, TO ACTIVATE THE HYDRAULIC CUT OFF SWITCH. HE SAID, AFTER THE HYDRAULICS WERE TURNED OFF THE CONTROLS WERE UNUSUALLY HEAVY, ESPECIALLY THE COLLECTIVE. THE PIC STATED, AFTER TURNING FINAL AND SLOWING, THE COLLECTIVE FORCES NEUTRALIZED BUT THE CYCLIC BECAME MORE DIFFICULT. AS THE AIRCRAFT SLOWED TO 15 KTS AND DESCENDED TO APPROXIMATELY 1 FT AGL, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO COME OUT OF EFFECTIVE TRANSLATIONAL LIFT (ETL) AT APPROXIMATELY 10 KTS AND BEGAN TO SETTLE TO THE GROUND. THE PIC STATED, THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO DRIFT LEFT AND HE WAS UNABLE TO STOP IT. HE TRIED TO SPEED UP AND REGAIN ETL BUT THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN A SLOW PITCH UP AND A LEFT BANK. THE PIC SAID HE ASKED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TO RESTORE THE HYDRAULICS BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO BEFORE THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND.

## 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 LAX07GA217](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX07GA217), Jul 13, 2007: Eurocopter France AS350 B3 (N811HP), Paso Robles, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: a loss of control for undetermined reasons, which resulted in an uncommanded roll and subsequent collision with terrain. Contributing factors in the accident were the flying pilot's failure to…

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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