# Accident 20190430003639A: American Eurocopter LLC AS350B3, Sula, MT, April 30, 2019

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 30, 2019, 10:15 local time
- Place: Sula, MT
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: Agricultural (Part 137)
- Operator: 3MMG
- Location: 45.8594° N, 113.9681° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.8594&lon=-113.9681&mi=10
- Aircraft: N350DL, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N350DL) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: American Eurocopter AS350B3 (registry code 1145002, https://openairdocs.org/model/american-eurocopter-as350b3) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL-2B1 (registry code 60056, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-2b1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMERICAN EUROCOPTER LLC AS350B3
- Reported engine: TURBOMECA ARRIEL 2B1
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 8,773 total, 3,125 in this make and model, 26 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB GAA19CA238](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA238) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190430003639A

## Narrative

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

ON APRIL 30, 2019 AT 1015 AN AMERICAN EUROCOPTER AS350B3, N350DL, REGISTERED TO PJ HELICOPTER LLC, OPERATED BY MISSION MOUNTAIN HELICOPTERS, STRUCK THE BOOM AUGER OF A SEMI TRUCK USED FOR GROUND REPLENISHMENT.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME.  THE AIRCRAFT HAD MINOR DAMAGE.  THE PILOT WAS UNINJURED.  THE FLIGHT CONDUCTED WAS FOR AERIAL APPLICATION.

## 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 GAA19CA238](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA19CA238), Apr 30, 2019: Aerospatiale AS350 (N350DL), Sula, MT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from ground equipment, which resulted in a tail rotor blade impact.

## Other reports on N350DL (1)

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

- [Incident 20111019024119I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20111019024119I), Oct 19, 2011: American Eurocopter LLC AS350B3 (N350DL), Plaster City, CA, Minor damage. 350DL lifted from the Plaster City fly yard on a qa/qc flight, with passenger [privacy data omitted] as the inspector seated aft of pilot [privacy data…

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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