# Incident 20200503010149I: Airbus Helicopters AS 350B3, Clewiston, FL, May 3, 2020

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 3, 2020, 10:45 local time
- Place: Clewiston, FL
- Damage: No damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 26.7350° N, 81.0511° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.7350&lon=-81.0511&mi=10
- Aircraft: N1WT (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS AS 350B3
- Reported engine: SAFRAN ARRIEL 2D
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ENG20LA031](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ENG20LA031) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200503010149I

## Narrative

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

UPON ENTERING THE LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 13 AT 2IS, THE PEDALS WENT ROCK HARD, ALONG WITH THE HYD 2 AND SERVO LIGHTS ILLUMINATING THEMSELVES ON THE CWP.  THERE WAS SOME LIGHT SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT AND A SIGNIFICANT BURNING SMELL. PILOT KNEW HE HAD A HYDRAULIC FAILURE DUE TO THE LIGHTS AND THE SEVERELY INCREASED LOAD IN THE PEDALS. HE IMMEDIATELY OPENED MY WINDOW TO CLEAR SOME OF THE SMOKE/SMELL. CAME ON THE RADIO AND ANNOUNCED MY EMERGENCY. HE THEN SLOWED DOWN THE HELICOPTER GRADUALLY, REMEMBERING THE TRAINING THAT HIS INSTRUCTOR TAUGHT HIM FOR THIS SITUATION AS THEY HAD PRACTICED A HYD 2 FAILURE IN TRAINING. HE EXTENDED THE DOWNWIND TO GIVE HIMSELF ENOUGH ROOM TO EXECUTE A SHALLOW APPROACH TO A RUN ON LANDING, THEN MADE A NICE GENTLE LEFT BASE TURN TO FINAL, CONTINUOUSLY DECELERATING THE HELICOPTER. HE CROSSED THE THRESHOLD OF THE RUNWAY AT APPROXIMATELY 25-30KTS AND APPROXIMATELY 30FT. PILOT STATES HE MADE THE HEADING AS STRAIGHT AS HE COULD, AND THEN MADE AN EXTREMELY SMOOTH RUN ON LANDING AND STEERED THE HELICOPTER TO THE BEST OF HIS ABILITY TO THE CENTER OF THE RUNWAY. HE STOPPED AND CAME ON THE RADIO AND ANNOUNCED WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED, AND THAT HE WAS STUCK ON THE RUNWAY.  THERE WAS NO ONE AROUND THE AIRPORT AND DID NOT GET A RESPONSE FROM ANYONE ON THE RADIO.  HE THEN SHUT DOWN THE HELICOPTER; CALLED HI INSTRUCTOR TO TELL HIM WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED. THEN CALLED THE AIRPORT MANAGER AND NOTIFIED HER THAT THE AIRPORT NEEDED TO BE CLOSED.

## 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 ENG20LA031](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ENG20LA031), May 3, 2020: Airbus Helicopters AS350 (N1WT), Clewiston, FL, incident, no damage. Probable cause: Seizure of the hydraulic pump pulley bearing due to its improper installation by the manufacturer, leading to a failure of the hydraulic pump belt and the resultant partial loss of hydraulic…

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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