20191204022009A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Eurocopter AS 350 B2 · Los Angeles, CA · December 4, 2019

Date
December 4, 2019 · 19:15 local
Place
Los Angeles, CA
Airport
El Monte
Phase of flight
Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N71HD
NTSB investigation
NTSBDCA20IA034
Reported as
Eurocopter AS 350 B2
Reported engine
Turbomeca ARRIEL-1D1
People aboard
3
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
3,300 total2,100 in this make and model40 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

While in flight, at approximately 110 KTS (IAS), the helicopter struck an unkown object. The leading edge of the horizontal stabilizer was damaged leaving a 1" hole and a 4" dent. The tail rotor was also damaged leaving a 2" mark.

As the FAA filed it

WHILE IN FLIGHT, AT APPROXIMATELY 110 KTS (IAS), THE HELICOPTER STRUCK AN UNKOWN OBJECT. THE LEADING EDGE OF THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER WAS DAMAGED LEAVING A 1" HOLE AND A 4" DENT. THE TAIL ROTOR WAS ALSO DAMAGED LEAVING A 2" MARK.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.