What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
At approximately 7:15 am local time on 7-22-2013, N115SH, an AS-350-B2 helicopter, with a company instructor and pilot aboard struck the tail rotor during a lift to a hover.
The nature of the flight involved differences training. The pilot involved received initial training in an AS-350-B2 with a right pilot seat configuration. The intended training of the accident flight was to familiarize the pilot with a left pilot seat configuration.
The flight was conducted without dual flight controls installed. The pilot occupied the front left pilot seat while the instructor occupied a center rear seat. The pilot had no prior experience operating the AS-350-B2 from the left seat.
Aircraft damage included a destroyed tail rotor, separation of the tail rotor gear box and the collapse of the right skid landing gear. Two of the main rotor blades struck the ground with minimal damage. The overall damage to the aircraft was substantial. No injuries or post crash fire was reported.
As the FAA filed it
AT APPROXIMATELY 7:15 AM LOCAL TIME ON 7-22-2013, N115SH, AN AS-350-B2 HELICOPTER, WITH A COMPANY INSTRUCTOR AND PILOT ABOARD STRUCK THE TAIL ROTOR DURING A LIFT TO A HOVER.
THE NATURE OF THE FLIGHT INVOLVED DIFFERENCES TRAINING. THE PILOT INVOLVED RECEIVED INITIAL TRAINING IN AN AS-350-B2 WITH A RIGHT PILOT SEAT CONFIGURATION. THE INTENDED TRAINING OF THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT WAS TO FAMILIARIZE THE PILOT WITH A LEFT PILOT SEAT CONFIGURATION.
THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED WITHOUT DUAL FLIGHT CONTROLS INSTALLED. THE PILOT OCCUPIED THE FRONT LEFT PILOT SEAT WHILE THE INSTRUCTOR OCCUPIED A CENTER REAR SEAT. THE PILOT HAD NO PRIOR EXPERIENCE OPERATING THE AS-350-B2 FROM THE LEFT SEAT.
AIRCRAFT DAMAGE INCLUDED A DESTROYED TAIL ROTOR, SEPARATION OF THE TAIL ROTOR GEAR BOX AND THE COLLAPSE OF THE RIGHT SKID LANDING GEAR. TWO OF THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE GROUND WITH MINIMAL DAMAGE. THE OVERALL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIAL. NO INJURIES OR POST CRASH FIRE WAS REPORTED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N115SH · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.