# Incident 20120113002399I: Eurocopter AS 350 B3, Protrero, CA, January 13, 2012

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 13, 2012, 12:40 local time
- Place: Protrero, CA
- Damage: No damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: MHHA
- Aircraft: N127DE (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: EUROCOPTER AS 350 B3
- Reported engine: TURBOMECA ARRIUS 2B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120113002399I

## Narrative

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

WHILE PERFORMING AN EXTERNAL LOAD FLIGHT, TRANSPORTING AN AIR COMPRESSOR ON A LONG LINE, THE HELICOPTER'S CARGO HOOK RELEASED THE LOAD DUE TO AN UNDETERMINED MECHANICAL FAULT.   THE AIR COMPRESSOR FELL FROM AN ALTITUDE OF 400 FT AGL AND IMPACTED THE GROUND WITHOUT DAMAGE TO PERSONS OR PROPERTY.THE PILOT INDICATES HE DID NOT INADVERTENTLY TRIGGER THE ELECTRICAL OR MECHANICAL RELEASE SWITCHES.MOUNTAIN AIR HELICOPTERS HAS REMOVED THE CARGO HOOK MECHANISM AND RETURNED IT TO THE MANUFACTURER, REPLACING IT WITH A DIFFERENT MAKE AND MODEL.

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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