20220416002309A

Accident · Minor damage

FAA accident report · Eurocopter AS 350 B3 · Phoenix, AZ · April 16, 2022

Date: April 16, 2022 · 23:40 local
Place: Phoenix, AZ
Airport: Deer Valley Airport
Phase of flight: Other, Specify
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: QMLA
Damage: Minor damage
Aircraft: N808LF
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR22LA154
Reported as: Eurocopter AS 350 B3
Reported engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL-2B1
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 1
Pilot’s certificate: Commercial pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 7,188 total

N808LFRegistered now · Eurocopter AS 350 B3S/N 4983 · Built 2010 Airframe modelEurocopter AS 350 B3 Engine modelTurbomeca ARRIEL-2B1Turbo-shaft

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.

N808 landed at the city helo pad and requested a hot refuel. The crew of the helicopter acted in accordance with the company procedures listed in the general operations manual. The fueler arrived and asked about the amount of fuel requested. He then pulled the grounding strap but the inertia reel did not lock. He again pulled the strap to lock the inertia reel. When it did not lock he whipped the grounding strap which struck the main rotor blade causing severe laceration on the fueler?s hand.

As the FAA filed it

N808 LANDED AT THE CITY HELO PAD AND REQUESTED A HOT REFUEL. THE CREW OF THE HELICOPTER ACTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE COMPANY PROCEDURES LISTED IN THE GENERAL OPERATIONS MANUAL. THE FUELER ARRIVED AND ASKED ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF FUEL REQUESTED. HE THEN PULLED THE GROUNDING STRAP BUT THE INERTIA REEL DID NOT LOCK. HE AGAIN PULLED THE STRAP TO LOCK THE INERTIA REEL. WHEN IT DID NOT LOCK HE WHIPPED THE GROUNDING STRAP WHICH STRUCK THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE CAUSING SEVERE LACERATION ON THE FUELER?S HAND.

NTSB investigation

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

NTSB WPR22LA154Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportDeer Valley, AZThe fuelers improper action during the refueling process.Apr 17, 2022 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N808LF · 2

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

Incident 20140626010009IHover/Holding · Temple, TXWhile lifting off to a hover, the aircraft began a rotation counter-clockwise. Following several rotations, the pilot lowered the aircraft to hover height, retarded the throttle and performed a hovering autorotation. The aircraft was drifting to the right and…Jun 26, 2014 · Minor damage Accident 20110727014929ACruise/Level Flight · Troutdale, ORAircraft departed aurora in route to the dalles approx. 15 minutes into flight the pilot heard a thump and aircraft started vibrating. The pilot decided a precautionary landing at Troutdale. Upon inspection the center tail drive shaft covr was missing, one of…Jul 27, 2011 · Substantial damage