20140801013139A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · S.N.I.A.S. AS350B Astar · Tahoma, CA · August 1, 2014

Date: August 1, 2014 · 12:56 local
Place: Tahoma, CA
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: CAXA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N3597T
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR14FA324
Reported as: S.N.I.A.S. AS350B Astar
Reported engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL-1SER
People aboard: 4
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificate: Airline transport
Pilot’s flight hours: 8,000 total3,000 in this make and model30 in the last 90 days

N3597TRegistration cancelled Mar 22, 2018 · S N I A S AS350D ASTARS/N 1126 · Built 1979 Airframe modelS N I A S AS350D ASTAR Engine modelTurbomeca ARRIEL-1SERTurbo-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 departing a remote landing zone in mountainous terrain. During the turning departure, the pilot believes he encountered a downdraft, causing the helicopter to rapidly descend through several trees, then impact the ground. The tail boom was severed and the fuselage ended up on its right side. The pilot and right seated passenger suffered head and leg injuries respectively.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT WAS DEPARTING A REMOTE LANDING ZONE IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. DURING THE TURNING DEPARTURE, THE PILOT BELIEVES HE ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT, CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO RAPIDLY DESCEND THROUGH SEVERAL TREES, THEN IMPACT THE GROUND. THE TAIL BOOM WAS SEVERED AND THE FUSELAGE ENDED UP ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. THE PILOT AND RIGHT SEATED PASSENGER SUFFERED HEAD AND LEG INJURIES RESPECTIVELY.

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 WPR14FA324Accident · Serious injuriesField investigationFinal reportTahoma, CAThe pilot's loss of helicopter control due to settling with power while maneuvering for takeoff.Aug 1, 2014 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N3597T · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 19950619016569IFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · San Francisco, CANarrative: after conducting an external load operation at the tanfaran shopping mall in san bruno the pilot was heading back to his base of operations in san jose, CA. Shortly after starting back for home, a low hydraulic pressure warning sounded and the…Jun 19, 1995