20091104022399A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Snias AS 350 BA · Globe, AZ · November 4, 2009

Date: November 4, 2009 · 19:25 local
Place: Globe, AZ
Airport: San Carlos Apache
Phase of flight: Landing
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N617LH
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR10LA046
Reported as: Snias AS350BA
Reported engine: TMECA ARRIEL1B
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,256 total118 in this make and model52 in the last 90 days

N617LHRegistration cancelled Sep 16, 2015 · Eurocopter AS 350 BAS/N 2140 Airframe modelEurocopter AS 350 BA Engine modelTurbomeca ARRIEL-1SERTurbo-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.

As stated by pilots, while performing NVG hydraulic off maneuvers, instructor (mark friskel) activated the aircrafts hydraulic test switch to simulate a hydraulic failure. Pilot privacy data omitted then slowed aircraft to approximately 55-60 KTS. Following this, instructor then de-activated the aircraft hydraulic test switch and told pilot to activate the hydraulic isolation switch. Following the hydraulic isolation switch being activated, the pilot slowed the aircraft approx 10 knots and began pushing the cyclic forward and to the right applied right pedal. Pilot stated that he could not make lateral cyclic inputs. Instructor then took controls and stated he could not make lateral cyclic inputs either. (At this time, pilot was still on controls as well). Instructor then called for the hydraulics to be turned on as the aircraft hit the ground in an approximate 15-30 degree, nose left attitude.

As the FAA filed it

AS STATED BY PILOTS, WHILE PERFORMING NVG HYDRAULIC OFF MANEUVERS, INSTRUCTOR (MARK FRISKEL) ACTIVATED THE AIRCRAFTS HYDRAULIC TEST SWITCH TO SIMULATE A HYDRAULIC FAILURE. PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THEN SLOWED AIRCRAFT TO APPROXIMATELY 55-60 KTS. FOLLOWING THIS, INSTRUCTOR THEN DE-ACTIVATED THE AIRCRAFT HYDRAULIC TEST SWITCH AND TOLD PILOT TO ACTIVATE THE HYDRAULIC ISOLATION SWITCH. FOLLOWING THE HYDRAULIC ISOLATION SWITCH BEING ACTIVATED, THE PILOT SLOWED THE AIRCRAFT APPROX 10 KNOTS AND BEGAN PUSHING THE CYCLIC FORWARD AND TO THE RIGHT APPLIED RIGHT PEDAL. PILOT STATED THAT HE COULD NOT MAKE LATERAL CYCLIC INPUTS. INSTRUCTOR THEN TOOK CONTROLS AND STATED HE COULD NOT MAKE LATERAL CYCLIC INPUTS EITHER. (AT THIS TIME, PILOT WAS STILL ON CONTROLS AS WELL). INSTRUCTOR THEN CALLED FOR THE HYDRAULICS TO BE TURNED ON AS THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE GROUND IN AN APPROXIMATE 15-30 DEGREE, NOSE LEFT ATTITUDE.

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 WPR10LA046Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportGlobe, AZThe pilot receiving instruction’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed or control of the helicopter during a simulated hydraulic failure maneuver, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s delayed remedial…Nov 5, 2009 · Substantial damage