# Incident 20170818011819I: Eurocopter AS 350 B3, Aspen, CO, August 18, 2017

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 18, 2017, 05:45 local time
- Place: Aspen, CO
- Airport: Back Country Site
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: QMLA
- Location: 39.1952° N, 106.8368° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Aspen, CO, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.1952&lon=-106.8368&mi=10
- Aircraft: N392LG (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: EUROCOPTER AS 350 B3
- Reported engine: TURBOMECA ARRIEL 1SER
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 8,470 total, 2,638 in this make and model, 78 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170818011819I

## Narrative

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

ON 08/18/17 @ 0545 MT, AN AIR METHODS (QMLA) HELICOPTER, N392LG, WAS ON APPROACH INTO A BACK COUNTRY LANDING ZONE ON THE CONUNDRUM CREEK TRAIL IN ASPEN COLORADO. IT WAS NIGHT VMC AND THE PILOT WAS OPERATING ON NIGHT VISION GOGGLES. THE LANDING WAS VERY CLOSE TO A SMALL TREE.  A POST FLIGHT INSPECTION BY THE PILOT DID NOT REVEAL ANY DAMAGE. AFTER DEPARTING AND PASSING THROUGH 60 KIAS THE PILOT NOTICED AN UNUSUAL VERTICAL VIBRATION IN THE ROTOR. THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYABLE WITH NO UNUSUAL NOISES, AND THE PILOT DID NOT FEEL IT SAFE TO SPEND THE TIME TO DO ANOTHER BACK COUNTRY LANDING RECONNAISSANCE. THE PILOT CONTINUED AND LANDED AT KASE.  A MORE DETAILED INSPECTION OF THE ROTOR BLADE, DURING DAYLIGHT, REVEALED DAMAGE. THE DAMAGE WAS MOST LIKELY CAUSED BY A SMALL TREE AT THE BACK COUNTRY LANDING ZONE.

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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