# Accident 20201114019419A: Aerospatiale AS 355F2, Hammonton, NJ, November 14, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 14, 2020, 08:30 local time
- Place: Hammonton, NJ
- Airport: Hammonton Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Other, Specify
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: H4FA
- Location: 39.6673° N, 74.7579° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.6673&lon=-74.7579&mi=10
- Aircraft: N712CA, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N712CA) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aerospatiale AS 355F2 (registry code 8680825, https://openairdocs.org/model/aerospatiale-as-355f2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C20F (registry code 54180, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c20f) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AEROSPATIALE AS 355F2
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 10,000 total, 5,000 in this make and model, 56 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA21LA043](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA043) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201114019419A

## Narrative

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

PILOT STATED THAT HE PERFORMED PRE-TAKEOFF FLIGHT CONTROL CHECKS BY MEMORY, AND ALL RESPONSES WERE NORMAL.  AS THE HELICOPTER WAS LIFTING OFF TO A HOVER, THE TAIL ROTOR CONTROL PEDALS WERE STUCK.  THE HELICOPTER STARTED MOVING SIDEWAYS OFF OF THE DOLLY.  THE PILOT WAS CONCERNED THE HELICOPTER WOULD SLIDE OFF THE DOLLY AND ROLL OVER.  HE INCREASED THE COLLECTIVE AND THE HELICOPTER STARTED TO SPIN TO THE LEFT.  HE COULD NOT GET AWAY FROM THE DOLLY FAST ENOUGH AND THE HELICOPTER SPUN INTO THE TOW TRACTOR CAB.  THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES WERE BROKEN OFF AFTER THEY CONTACTED THE TOW TRACTOR.  THE PILOT MANAGED TO MOVE OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DOLLY AND LAND THE AIRCRAFT LEVEL IN THE GRASS.  THERE WAS SIGNIFICANT VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE TAIL BOOM, VERTICAL FIN, TAIL ROTOR HUB, AND PITCH CHANGE RODS.

## 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 ERA21LA043](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA21LA043), Nov 14, 2020: Aerospatiale AS355 (N712CA), Hammonton, NJ, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's decision to continue the takeoff with a perceived mechanical deficiency.

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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