# Accident 20121123026439A: American Eurocopter Corp AS350B3, Nogales, AZ, November 23, 2012

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 23, 2012, 08:22 local time
- Place: Nogales, AZ
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Ground/Ramp/Ma
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 31.5431° N, 111.6925° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.5431&lon=-111.6925&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3984A, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3984A-2021-04-03) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: American Eurocopter AS350B3 (registry code 1145004, https://openairdocs.org/model/american-eurocopter-as350b3) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMERICAN EUROCOPTER CORP AS350B3
- Reported engine: TURBOMECA ARRIEL 2B1
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 1,900 total, 655 in this make and model, 84 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR13TA051](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13TA051) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20121123026439A

## Narrative

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

ON 11/23/2012 WHILE CONDUCTING A DRUG INTERDICTION SUPPORT FLIGHT (PUBLIC USE), PILOT LANDED THE HELICOPTER IN A REMOTE DESERT AREA.  AFTER LANDING PILOT SET FRICTION ON BOTH THE COLLECTIVE AND CYLCIC CONTROLS. PILOT DID NOT RECALL SETTING COLLECTIVE SPRING LOCK. THE HELICOPTER WAS LEFT AT 100 % POWER. AIRCRAFT BECAME LIGHT ON SKIDS AND BEGAN TO SLIGHTLY PITCH UP. PILOT MADE A PITCH FORWARD INPUT TO ENSURE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND.  THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO EXHIBIT VERTICAL DYNAMIC OSCILLATIONS THAT CONTINUED TO WORSEN. THE PILOT APPLIED COLLECTIVE INPUT IN AN ATTEMPT TO LIFT OFF AND REGAIN AIRCRAFT STABILITY. AS THE HELICOPTER LIFTED OFF, IT EXPERIENCED AN UNCOMMANDED DOWNWARD PITCH RESULTING IN A VERY NOSE-LOW ATTITUDE. THE PILOT APPLIED AFT CYCLIC TO COMPENSATE WHEN IN A 5 FOOT HOVER; THE HELICOPTER BEGAN AN UNCONTROLLABLE LEFT YAW. THE PILOT STATED HE HAD NO TAIL ROTOR CONTROL AT THIS POINT. THE PILOT THEN LANDED THE HELICOPTER AND PERFORMED AN EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN.  THE HELICOPTER CAME TO REST IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION ON THE SKIDS. UPON EXITING THE HELICOPTER, THE PILOT OBSERVED THAT THE TAIL ROTOR WAS MISSING AND THE AFT SECTION OF THE TAIL BOOM WAS SEVERED. THE ONLY PERSON ONBOARD WAS THE PILOT WHO SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES.

## 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 WPR13TA051](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13TA051), Nov 23, 2012: Eurocopter AS350B3 2B1 (N3984A), Newfield, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's distraction while retrieving an item behind him while the helicopter was on the ground with the engine running, which led to his aggressive overapplication of the flight controls after…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.