20080623840969A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Snias AS 350 BA · Chickaloon, AK · June 23, 2008

Date: June 23, 2008 · 11:58 local
Place: Chickaloon, AK
Phase of flight: Pwr On Vertical Ldng/Rtrcrft
Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
Operator: L49L
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N357CH
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC08LA076
Reported as: Snias AS350BA
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,166 total1,138 in this make and model68 in the last 90 days

N357CHRegistration cancelled Oct 14, 2015 · Eurocopter AS 350 BAS/N 2658 · Built 1992 Airframe modelEurocopter AS 350 BA Engine modelTurbomeca ARRIEL-1BTurbo-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) According to the pilot, he was attempting to place the load. He reduced power by too much and started a fast descent rate and felt a small vibration reminiscent of entering his vortex rings. The pilot applied left pedal, pulled power, and steered away from the last place he remembered seeing his people. The pilot thought about punching the load, but never acutally did. The aircraft hit the snow hard and rolled over onto its right side.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO PLACE THE LOAD. HE REDUCED POWER BY TOO MUCH AND STARTED A FAST DESCENT RATE AND FELT A SMALL VIBRATION REMINISCENT OF ENTERING HIS VORTEX RINGS. THE PILOT APPLIED LEFT PEDAL, PULLED POWER, AND STEERED AWAY FROM THE LAST PLACE HE REMEMBERED SEEING HIS PEOPLE. THE PILOT THOUGHT ABOUT PUNCHING THE LOAD, BUT NEVER ACUTALLY DID. THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE SNOW HARD AND ROLLED OVER ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE.

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 ANC08LA076Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportChickaloon, AKThe pilot's incorrect actions during an out-of ground-effect hover, which resulted in the helicopter entering a main rotor ring vortex state, and a settling with power condition, producing an excessive descent rate and collision with terrain.Jun 23, 2008 · Substantial damage