20090112001979A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Snias AS350B2 · Gulf Of Mexico, US · January 12, 2009

Date: January 12, 2009 · 11:15 local
Place: Gulf Of Mexico, US
Phase of flight: Hovering
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: U0GA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N193EH
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN09CA127
Reported as: Snias AS350B2
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,811 total462 in this make and model41 in the last 90 days

N193EHRegistered now · Aerospatiale AS350 B2 ECUREUILS/N 2599 Airframe modelAerospatiale AS350 B2 ECUREUIL Engine modelNONENone

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.

As the accident helicopter picked up into a hover, it was moved sideways due to wind turbulence. The tail rotor struck a 24" steel "lightening strike protector" mounted vertically on the corner of the helideck. The commercial pilot reduced collective and set the helicopter back on the deck.

As the FAA filed it

AS THE ACCIDENT HELICOPTER PICKED UP INTO A HOVER, IT WAS MOVED SIDEWAYS DUE TO WIND TURBULENCE. THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK A 24" STEEL "LIGHTENING STRIKE PROTECTOR" MOUNTED VERTICALLY ON THE CORNER OF THE HELIDECK. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT REDUCED COLLECTIVE AND SET THE HELICOPTER BACK ON THE DECK.

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 CEN09CA127Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportVermillion 229The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a known obstruction. Contributing to the accident was the location/placement of lightning rods in the landing zone.Jan 12, 2009 · Substantial damage