# Accident 20150504007049A: Eurocopter AS 350 BA, Hamilton, MT, May 4, 2015

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 4, 2015, 15:00 local time
- Place: Hamilton, MT
- Airport: Ravalli County
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Other, Specify
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 46.2517° N, 114.1256° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=46.2517&lon=-114.1256&mi=10
- Aircraft: N504WD (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: EUROCOPTER AS 350 BA
- Reported engine: TURBOMECA ARRIEL 1B
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 18,000 total, 529 in this make and model, 107 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC15LA076](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC15LA076) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20150504007049A

## Narrative

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

DURING POWER OFF AUTO ROTATION TRAINING, THE ROTORCRAFT EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO THE TAILBOOM AFT OF THE FUSELAGE/TAILBOOM ATTACH POINT.

## 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 ANC15LA076](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC15LA076), May 4, 2015: Airbus AS-350 (N504WD), Hamilton, MT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's excessive collective application during an autorotation. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the training flight.

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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