20130324006249A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · American Eurocopter AS350B3 · Stevens Village, AK · March 24, 2013

Date: March 24, 2013 · 14:55 local
Place: Stevens Village, AK
Airport: Stevens Village
Phase of flight: Other, Specify
Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
Operator: 2SYL
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N353DL
NTSB investigation: NTSBANC13CA035
Reported as: American Eurocopter AS350B3
Reported engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL-2D
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 5,083 total2,113 in this make and model60 in the last 90 days

N353DLRegistration cancelled Feb 8, 2018 · American Eurocopter AS350B3S/N 7319 · Built 2012 Airframe modelAmerican Eurocopter AS350B3 Engine modelTurbomeca ARRIEL-2DTurbo-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.

The pilot was conducting external load operations and had landed at an off airport site awaiting hook-up in 2-3 feet of snow. The aircraft was at flight RPM. The pilot opened the right door to check the tail rotor area. When he leaned out the aircraft rolled to the right and the rotor struck the snow/ground. The helicopter was substantially damaged.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATIONS AND HAD LANDED AT AN OFF AIRPORT SITE AWAITING HOOK-UP IN 2-3 FEET OF SNOW. THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT FLIGHT RPM. THE PILOT OPENED THE RIGHT DOOR TO CHECK THE TAIL ROTOR AREA. WHEN HE LEANED OUT THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED TO THE RIGHT AND THE ROTOR STRUCK THE SNOW/GROUND. THE HELICOPTER WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.

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 ANC13CA035Accident · No injuriesData collectionFinal reportStevens Village, AKThe pilot’s inadvertent cyclic control input after landing, which resulted in the main rotor blades striking the ground.Mar 24, 2013 · Substantial damage