# Incident 20160824017909I: American Eurocopter Corp AS350B3, Peach Springs, AZ, August 24, 2016

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 24, 2016, 13:45 local time
- Place: Peach Springs, AZ
- Airport: Grand Canyon West
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: PG9A
- Location: 35.9867° N, 113.8175° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.9867&lon=-113.8175&mi=10
- Aircraft: N839PA (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: AMERICAN EUROCOPTER CORP AS350B3
- Reported engine: TURBOMECA ARRIEL 2D
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,268 total, 395 in this make and model, 195 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA16CA450](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA450) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160824017909I

## Narrative

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

ON AUGUST 24, 2016, AT 1500MST, N839PA AN AIRBUS HELICOPTERS AS-350B3 HELICOPTER OPERATED BY PAPILLON GRAND CANYON HELICOPTERS INCURRED MINOR DAMAGE TO THE LOWER VERTICAL STABILIZER AND TAIL BOOM WHILE MANUEVERING TO DEPART A HELIPAD FROM GRAND CANYON WEST AIRPORT (1G4).

THE PILOT, WHO WAS THE SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE HELICOPTER, WAS NOT INJURED.

THE PILOT STATED THAT HE LIFTED THE HELICOPTER INTO A STABILIZED HOVER AND BEGAN TO BACK UP SO HE COULD DEPART TO PICK UP PASSENGERS. WHILE BACKING UP, THE REAR STABILIZER GOT TOO LOW AND STRUCK THE GROUND. THE PILOT FELT THE IMPACT AND IMMEDIATELY RE-PARKED THE AIRCRAFT BACK ONTO HELIPAD E3.

## 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 GAA16CA450](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA16CA450), Aug 24, 2016: Airbus AS350 (N839PA), Peach Springs, AZ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain while hover taxiing backward, resulting in the tail striking terrain.

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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