What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
This was a public use operation as determined by the NTSB.
During an annual check ride for a drug enforcement administration pilot at Fullerton airport in California, an Airbus AS-350B2 helicopter crashed onto runway 24.
The pilot-in-command and the standardization pilot giving the check briefed a simulated hydraulic system failure. While executing the procedure, they proceeded low and slow over runway 24 at Fullerton, lost control and crashed. The crash caused substantial damage to the rotor system and airframe.
In 2014, Airbus helicopters published a safety notice (no. 2630-S-29) stating that recent accidents and incidents which occurred during hydraulic failure training led them to release the notice as a reminder to comply with the "caution" in the flight manual emergency procedures.
The caution requires that no hover flight or maneuvers at low speed be performed in the configuration required for the hydraulic failure training. In that flight configuration, the intensity and direction of the load return from the main rotor through the controls "may rapidly change and generate a significant workload for the pilot, thus causing a risk of loss of control of the helicopter".
It is of my opinion that during execution of the hydraulic failure training, the crew of the AS-350B2 maneuvered at an airspeed which was too low and caused loss of control as described by the Airbus safety information notice.
As the FAA filed it
THIS WAS A PUBLIC USE OPERATION AS DETERMINED BY THE NTSB.
DURING AN ANNUAL CHECK RIDE FOR A DRUG ENFORCEMENT ADMINISTRATION PILOT AT FULLERTON AIRPORT IN CALIFORNIA, AN AIRBUS AS-350B2 HELICOPTER CRASHED ONTO RUNWAY 24.
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND AND THE STANDARDIZATION PILOT GIVING THE CHECK BRIEFED A SIMULATED HYDRAULIC SYSTEM FAILURE. WHILE EXECUTING THE PROCEDURE, THEY PROCEEDED LOW AND SLOW OVER RUNWAY 24 AT FULLERTON, LOST CONTROL AND CRASHED. THE CRASH CAUSED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE ROTOR SYSTEM AND AIRFRAME.
IN 2014, AIRBUS HELICOPTERS PUBLISHED A SAFETY NOTICE (NO. 2630-S-29) STATING THAT RECENT ACCIDENTS AND INCIDENTS WHICH OCCURRED DURING HYDRAULIC FAILURE TRAINING LED THEM TO RELEASE THE NOTICE AS A REMINDER TO COMPLY WITH THE "CAUTION" IN THE FLIGHT MANUAL EMERGENCY PROCEDURES.
THE CAUTION REQUIRES THAT NO HOVER FLIGHT OR MANEUVERS AT LOW SPEED BE PERFORMED IN THE CONFIGURATION REQUIRED FOR THE HYDRAULIC FAILURE TRAINING. IN THAT FLIGHT CONFIGURATION, THE INTENSITY AND DIRECTION OF THE LOAD RETURN FROM THE MAIN ROTOR THROUGH THE CONTROLS "MAY RAPIDLY CHANGE AND GENERATE A SIGNIFICANT WORKLOAD FOR THE PILOT, THUS CAUSING A RISK OF LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER".
IT IS OF MY OPINION THAT DURING EXECUTION OF THE HYDRAULIC FAILURE TRAINING, THE CREW OF THE AS-350B2 MANEUVERED AT AN AIRSPEED WHICH WAS TOO LOW AND CAUSED LOSS OF CONTROL AS DESCRIBED BY THE AIRBUS SAFETY INFORMATION NOTICE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.