# Accident 20180803009829A: Airbus Helicopters EC 130 T2, Mullen, NE, August 3, 2018

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 3, 2018, 15:30 local time
- Place: Mullen, NE
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 41.8611° N, 101.2894° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.8611&lon=-101.2894&mi=10
- Aircraft: N130TG, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N130TG-2021-03-06) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Airbus Helicopters EC 130 T2 (registry code 1145302, https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-helicopters-ec-130-t2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Safran ARRIEL-2D (registry code 59997, https://openairdocs.org/engine/safran-arriel-2d) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS EC 130 T2
- Reported engine: SAFRAN ARRIEL 2D
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 232 total, 212 in this make and model, 112 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN18LA314](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA314) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180803009829A

## Narrative

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

ON AUGUST 3, 2018 AT APPROXIMATELY 1515 LOCAL TIME N130TG, AN AIRBUS EC-130-T2 HELICOPTER, DEPARTED CONTROLLED FLIGHT AT APPROXIMATELY 200-300 FEET AGL WHILE CIRCLING A PROPOSED LANDING AREA AT AN OFF AIRPORT LOCATION.  THE HELICOPTER WAS WITNESSED ON ARRIVAL, CIRCLING SOUTH/SOUTHWEST FROM THE LANDING SITE, AND TURNING FROM SOUTH TO EAST, ABRUPTLY ENTERING A NOSE LOW/TAIL HIGH ATTITUDE WHILE BANKING TO THE LEFT, AND PASSING THROUGH A SOUTH/SOUTHEASTERLY HEADING.  SHORTLY AFTER ENTERING THIS ATTITUDE THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SPIRAL TO THE LEFT (TAIL TO THE RIGHT) COUNTER CLOCKWISE, FIRST CHANGING HEADING 180 DEGREES THEN CONTINUING TO SPIRAL WHILE DESCENDING TOWARD THE IMPACT POINT.  ACCORDING TO WITNESSES THE HELICOPTER COMPLETED APPROXIMATELY 2 ½ REVOLUTIONS FROM THE INITIAL HEADING PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE SIDE OF A SANDY SLOPE IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE AND COMING TO REST HEADING APPROXIMATELY 325 DEGREES AT A LATERAL INCLINE OF APPROXIMATELY 13 DEGREES.  DURING IMPACT THE MAIN ROTORS CONTACTED THE TERRAIN ON THE UPHILL SIDE OF THE HELICOPTER, AS WELL AS THE VERTICAL FIN, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE MAIN ROTORS.  THE MAIN ROTOR TRANSMISSION SUPPORT TUBES FRACTURED ALLOWING THE MAIN ROTOR TRANSMISSION TO SEPARATE FROM THE DRIVE SHAFT AND LEAN TO THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HELICOPTER CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE NACELLE AND UPPER FUSELAGE.  THE HELICOPTER REMAINED UPRIGHT.  THERE WAS NO POST IMPACT FIRE, THOUGH THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRFRAME AND ENGINE/TRANSMISSION AS WELL AS THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES AND UPPER FUSELAGE AFT OF THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT.  THE PILOT AND FAMILY DOG WERE NOT INJURED, HOWEVER THE SOLE PASSENGER SEATED IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES.

## 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 CEN18LA314](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA314), Aug 3, 2018: Airbus EC 130 T2 (N130TG), Mullen, NE, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadequate and incorrect antitorque pedal application during a tight, decelerating turn downwind, which resulted in a loss of yaw control.

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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