# Accident 20180518004389A: Aerospatiale AS350 B2 ECUREUIL, Yakutat, AK, May 18, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 18, 2018, 15:00 local time
- Place: Yakutat, AK
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Run-Up Area
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: XCHA
- Location: 59.0833° N, 138.2003° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=59.0833&lon=-138.2003&mi=10
- Aircraft: N288CH, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N288CH) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aerospatiale AS350 B2 ECUREUIL (registry code 8680813, https://openairdocs.org/model/aerospatiale-as350-b2-ecureuil) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL-1SER (registry code 60030, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-1ser) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AEROSPATIALE AS350 B2 ECUREUIL
- Reported engine: TURBOMECA ARRIEL 1SER
- People aboard: 7
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 4,648 total, 701 in this make and model, 55 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA18CA289](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA289) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180518004389A

## Narrative

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

THE PART 135 FLIGHT DEPARTED FROM JUNEAU ON 18MAY2018 AT 12:51 AKDT TO SERVICE A US COAST GUARD RADIO FACILITY ON THE 2200' LEVEL DECEPTION HILLS LOCATED NEAR THE COAST 58 MILES SOUTHEAST OF YAKUTAT ALASKA. WEATHER WAS DERIVED FROM NWS, METAR, TAF REPORTS FOR, CAPE SPENCER, YAKUTAT , AND JUNEAU. FAA CAMS AND AREA FORECAST MAPS WERE ALSO CONSULTED.

EN ROUTE WEATHER WAS CLEAR WITH A TAILWIND FROM THE EAST/SOUTEAST THAT AVERAGED 15 KNOTS. MECHANICAL TURBULENCE THROUGH THE FAIRWEATHER RANGE WAS LESS THAN EXPECTED.

LANDING DECEPTION HILLS MAIN PAD ~1400 AKDT.  DURING RECON NOTED A CONSISTENT WIND FROM SE IN VICINITY OF 25 KTS. PER BRIEFING LANDED INTO WIND WITH TAIL POINTED TOWARDS YAKUTAT AND SHUTDOWN. ALSO NOTED PER BRIEFING THE STEEP TERRAIN ON BOTH SE AND NW SIDES OF THE PAD.

NOTICED A MARINE/CUMULUS LAYER BLOWING UP THE COASTLINE AND INLAND AND WARNED PASSENGERS WE MIGHT NEED TO DEPART SOONER THAN THE REQUESTED HOUR STANDBY. AT 14:45 OBSERVED CLOUDS INVADING NEARBY RIDGES AND TOLD PASSENGERS TO COLLECT GEAR AND LOADED GEAR AND PASSENGERS. WIND WAS THE SAME AS LANDING WITH SOME GUSTS (25G30) COMING THROUGH EVERY FEW MINUTES IN FRONT OF CLOUD FRONT.

PRE-START CHECKLIST. NOTED ASI NEEDLE WAS MOVING BETWEEN ZERO AND FIRST MARK (20 KTS) IN CONJUNCTION WITH WIND. COMMENCED START. AS T4 HAD "SECOND" LIGHT OFF AND WITH BLADES MOVING SLOWLY FELT/HEARD A STRONGER GUST AND A LOUD BANG ALMOST SIMULTANEOUSLY. HELICOPTER ALSO LURCHED TO THE RIGHT ~5 DEGREES. IMMEDIATELY ABORTED START AND APPLIED FULL ROTOR BRAKE TO STOP BLADES. VISUALLY INSPECTED A DENT IN THE TR DRIVESHAFT COWLING ON THE STARBOARD SIDE OF HELICOPTER. WIND GUSTS CONTINUED TO PICK UP. CALLED BASE ON SAT PHONE (1500) AND ENLISTED PASSENGER HELP IN TYING DOWN ALL BLADES.

## 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 GAA18CA289](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA289), May 18, 2018: Aerospatiale AS350 B2 Ecureuil (N288CH), Yakutat, AK, substantial damage. Probable cause: The helicopter’s movement during startup in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in the main rotor striking the tailboom.

## Other reports on N288CH (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20190427003489A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190427003489A), Apr 27, 2019: Aerospatiale AS350 B2 ECUREUIL (N288CH), Juneau, AK, Substantial damage. On April 27, 2019, N288CH, an Aerospatiale AS350-B2, was substantially damaged when the tail rotor struck terrain during a landing on top of a mountain…

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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