# Incident 20110409026369I: Eurocopter AS 350 B2, Buckeye, AZ, April 9, 2011

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 9, 2011, 05:00 local time
- Place: Buckeye, AZ
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: HEEA
- Location: 33.3703° N, 112.5838° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Buckeye, AZ, within about 11 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.3703&lon=-112.5838&mi=10
- Aircraft: N354P, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N354P-2014-01-07) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Eurocopter AS 350 B2 (registry code 8680950, https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-as-350-b2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL-1D1 (registry code 60053, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-1d1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: EUROCOPTER AS 350 B2
- Reported engine: TURBOMECA ARRIEL 1D1
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 12,860 total, 1,063 in this make and model, 18 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110409026369I

## Narrative

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

WHILE OVERHEAD AT THE SCENE THE AIRCRAFT WAS DIVERTED TO A RURAL FIRE STATION HELIPAD. AT THE TIME THE PILOT REPORTS IT WAS DRIZZLING. NVG'S WERE BEING USED DURING THE FLIGHT INCLUDING THE APPROACH AND LANDING. THE PILOT TERMINATED AT A HOVER BUT WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY SEEING HIS SURROUNDINGS. HE DRIFTED TO THE REAR AND PUT THE TAIL ROTOR INTO A FENCE DAMAGING THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES. AFTER REMOVING HIS NVG'S, THE PILOT SAW THAT HIS WIND SCREEN HAD FOGGED OVER. PILOT SHUT DOWN THE AIRCRAFT AND NOTICED THE DAMAGED TAIL ROTOR BLADES DURING POST FLIGHT.

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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