# Accident 20110503008829A: Aerospatiale AS350 B2 ECUREUIL, Camden, SC, May 3, 2011

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 3, 2011, 03:55 local time
- Place: Camden, SC
- Airport: Woodward Field
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: QMLA
- Location: 34.2833° N, 80.5647° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.2833&lon=-80.5647&mi=10
- Aircraft: N916AM, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N916AM) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aerospatiale AS350 B2 ECUREUIL (registry code 8680813, https://openairdocs.org/model/aerospatiale-as350-b2-ecureuil) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL-1SER (registry code 60030, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-1ser) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AEROSPATIALE AS350 B2 ECUREUIL
- Reported engine: TURBOMECA ARRIEL 1SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 3,806 total, 397 in this make and model, 72 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA11LA278](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11LA278) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110503008829A

## Narrative

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

ON MAY 3, 2011, AT 21:00 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, THE CHIEF PILOT OF AIR METHODS CORP. CONTACTED THE FAA AND REPORTED AN AEROSPATIALE AS350B2 HELICOPTER, N916AM, WAS FOUND DAMAGED DURING A MAINTENANCE INSPECTION. THE TAIL BOOM WAS BENT AND WRINKLED FROM AN EARLIER NIGHT VISION GOGGLES (NVG) TRAINING FLIGHT.  ON MAY 02, 2011 AT 21:35 THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT AND ONE TRAINEE DEPARTED ON THE FIRST (NVG) TRAINING FLIGHT, AFTER COMPLETION OF FIRST TRAINING FLIGHT THE PILOT TRAINEE WAS CHANGED OUT. THE SECOND TRAINEE STATED HE PERFORMED A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION ON THE N916AM IN THE DARK WITH NO FLASHLIGHT AND THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED ON THE SECOND FLIGHT AT 01:30 AND LANDING AT WOODWARD FIELD AIRPORT (CDN) AT 03:55 ON THE MORNING OF MAY 3, 2011. THE PILOTS STATED THEY DID NOT NOTICE ANY DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT ON THE POST FLIGHT INSPECTION.THE (NVG) TRAINING FLIGHT CONSISTED OF NORMAL TAKE OFF AND LADINGS, STRAIGHT AHEAD AUTOROTATION AND AUTOROTATIONS WITH A TURN, HYDRAULIC-OFF MANEUVERS WITH GO AROUND, SLOPE OPERATIONS. THE (NVG) TRAINEES BEGAN THEIR GROUND TRAINING AT 16:00-21:00 ON MAY 02, 2011 AND COMPLETED THIER LAST FLIGHT TRAINING AT 03:55.THE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE NIGHT VFR, THE CREW REPORTED NO INJURIES. ON MAY 2, 2011 AIRFRAME AND POWERPLANT RATED MECHANIC STATED HE PERFORMED A DAILY AIRWORTHY INSPECTION ON N916AM PRIOR TO THE (NVG) TRAINING FLIGHT AND FOUND NO DISCREPANCIES AND THE SAME MECHANIC FURTHER STATED ON THE MORNING OF MAY 03, 2011 AFTER THE TRAINING FLIGHT HE WAS PERFORMING AN AIRWORTHY INSPECTION HE NOTICED AN OIL LEAK ON AFT TAIL BOOM COMING FROM THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX INPUT SEAL AND METAL SHAVINGS FOUND UNDER THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT THEN HE NOTICED THE TAIL BOOM WAS BENT AND WRINKLED AND THE TAIL STINGER HAD FRESH GROUND CONTACT SCRAPES.

## 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 ERA11LA278](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA11LA278), May 3, 2011: Aerospatiale AS350B2 (N916AM), Camden, SC, substantial damage. Probable cause: The instructor pilot did not maintain adequate helicopter control while maneuvering, which resulted in a hard landing.

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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