# Accident 20200621022189A: Aerospatiale SA342J, Minden Tahoe, NV, June 21, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 21, 2020, 13:30 local time
- Place: Minden Tahoe, NV
- Airport: Minden Tahoe
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.9969° N, 119.7550° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.9969&lon=-119.7550&mi=10
- Aircraft: N342J, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N342J-2022-12-03) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aerospatiale SA342J (registry code 8680828, https://openairdocs.org/model/aerospatiale-sa342j) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Turbomeca ASTAZOU XIV H (registry code 60018, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-astazou-xiv-h) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AEROSPATIALE SA342J
- Reported engine: TURBOMECA ASTAZOU XIV H
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 2,548 total, 245 in this make and model, 5 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR20LA189](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20LA189) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200621022189A

## Narrative

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

ON JUNE 21, 2020, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND HIS PASSENGER WERE APPROACHING HIS HANGAR AT THE MINDEN TAHOE AIRPORT WHILE HOVERING IN HIS AEROSPATIALE, N334J. THE HELICOPTER LOST POWER, AND SETTLED INTO A HARD LANDING. BOTH PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE ABLE TO WALK AWAY, BUT A FIRE STARTED BEHIND THE FRONT SEATS AND QUICKLY ENGULFED THE ENTIRE HELICOPTER. IT WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED BY THE FIRE.

## 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 WPR20LA189](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR20LA189), Jun 21, 2020: Aerospatiale SA342J (N342J), Minden, NV, destroyed. Probable cause: The total loss of engine power due to a surge; the reason for the surge could not be determined based on available information. Contributing to the helicopter damage was the total loss of power while…

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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