# Accident 20151118019899A: Airbus Helicopter Inc AS350B3, Carlsbad, CA, November 18, 2015

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 18, 2015, 16:10 local time
- Place: Carlsbad, CA
- Airport: Palomar
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.1272° N, 117.2800° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.1272&lon=-117.2800&mi=10
- Aircraft: N711BE (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: AIRBUS HELICOPTER INC AS350B3
- Reported engine: ROLLS-ROYC 250-C47B
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 12 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR16FA029](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16FA029) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20151118019899A

## Narrative

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

HELICOPTER MADE FOUR ATTEMPTS TO LAND ON DOLLY (ROLLING PLATFORM)

THE FIRST ATTEMPT THE HELICOPTER WAS POINTED WEST. THE SKIDS MADE HEAVY CONTACT WITH THE PLATFORM AND AS THE HELICOPTER MADE AN AGGRESSIVE LIFT OFF THE PLATFORM ROTATED 180 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT.THE HELICOPTER THEN LANDED EAST OF THE PLATFORM FACING WEST WITH ENGINE RUNNING. LINE MEN INSPECTED THE PLATFORM AND ADDED A THIRD CHALK TO INSURE IT WAS SECURE.

THE SECOND AND THIRD ATTEMPT THE HELICOPTER WAS POINTED EAST WITH A SLIGHT TAIL WIND. SOME CONTACT WAS MADE ON THE PLATFORM HOW EVER THE HELICOPTER WAS EITHER TO FAR AFT OR TO FAR LEFT AND RIGHT OF CENTER. ON THE FOURTH AND FINAL ATTEMPT AND POINTED EAST THE HELICOPTER SKIDS TOUCHED THE PLATFORM BUT WAS TO FAR AFT AND THE TAIL STRUCK THE GROUND THREE OF FOUR TIMES. THE HELICOPTER PITCHED NOSE DOWN AND FORWARD AND THEN PITCHED NOSE UP ROTATING LEFT. THE TAIL STRUCK THE GROUND BRAKING OFF THE TAIL ROTOR THEN THE HELICOPTER HIT THE GROUND ON THE SKIDS. IT ROTATED IN A RIGHT TURN ON THE SKIDS FOR JUST OVER FIVE MINUTES. AFTER FIVE MINUTES OF ROTATION THE TAIL BOOM BROKE CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO ROTATE ON TO ITS RIGHT SIDE. AT THAT TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO FOAM THE ENGINE AND THE HELICOPTER.

## 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 WPR16FA029](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16FA029), Nov 19, 2015: Airbus Helicopters AS350B3E (N711BE), Carlsbad, CA, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's loss of control during landing on a dolly. Contributing to the accident were the pilot's decision to conduct the flight without an instructor despite multiple flight instructors'…

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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