# Accident 20090827017049A: Snias AS350B2, Grand Canyon, AZ, August 27, 2009

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 27, 2009, 08:45 local time
- Place: Grand Canyon, AZ
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: LV6A
- Location: 35.9950° N, 113.7814° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.9950&lon=-113.7814&mi=10
- Aircraft: N705LV (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: SNIAS AS350B2
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 9,167 total, 1,600 in this make and model, 164 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR09LA420](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA420) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20090827017049A

## Narrative

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

(-23)  THE PILOT HAD JUST UNLOADED PACK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE CANYON AND WAS RE POSITIONING TO THE TOP OF GCW.  DURING A CLEARING TURN THE TAIL ROTOR HIT A ROCK AT THE LANDING PAD.  THE TAIL ROTOR WAS SO FAR OUT OF BALANCE THE T/R GEAR BOX WAS TORN FROM THE TAILBOOM.  BOTH BLADES OF THE T/R WERE DAMAGED, BOTH THE LOWER AND UPPER VERTICAL FIN WERE DAMAGED, THE DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIAL.

## 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 WPR09LA420](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR09LA420), Aug 27, 2009: Aerospatiale AS350 B2 Ecureuil (N705LV), Grand Canyon, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a boulder during a low-altitude takeoff turn.

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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