# Accident 20220718012459A: Aerospatiale SA342J, Escalante, UT, July 18, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 18, 2022, 16:30 local time
- Place: Escalante, UT
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.2900° N, 111.1400° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.2900&lon=-111.1400&mi=10
- Aircraft: N342WF, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N342WF) (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: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 190 total, 90 in this make and model, 30 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR22LA261](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA261) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220718012459A

## Narrative

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

ON 08/18/ 2022, THE PILOT^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ OF A 1976 AEROSPATIALE GAZELLE SA 342 HELICOPTER WAS FLYING THE HELICOPTER ON A PART 91 PERSONAL FLIGHT WHEN HE CRASHED WHILE MAKING AN APPROACH TO A MOUNTAIN CABIN AREA AT APPROXIMATELY 7,400 FEET MSL. THE TAIL NUMBER WAS IDENTIFIED AS ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. THE PILOT HAD BEEN HELPING A FRIEND HAUL SUPPLIES FROM A PICKUP POINT AT APPROXIMATELY 5,000 FEET MSL UP TO THE FRIENDS? CABIN AREA AT 7,400 FEET MSL. THE PILOT HAD A PASSENGER ONBOARD DURING THE ENTIRE OPERATION. THE PASSENGER WAS NOT A CERTIFICATED PILOT. THE PILOT COMPLETED APPROXIMATELY 11 LOADS TO THE CABIN THROUGHOUT THE DAY AND MADE TWO RE-FUEL STOPS BEFORE CRASHING ON APPROACH WITH THE 11TH LOAD.

THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE ON APPROACH WITH THE 11TH AND FINAL LOAD TO THE CABIN AREA, THE AIRCRAFT FELT HEAVIER THAN THE PREVIOUS LOADS. HE NOTED THAT THE WEATHER CONDITIONS HAD CHANGED AS WELL. FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE DAY HE HAD BEEN WORKING WITH A CLOUD LAYER THAT KEEP THE TEMPERATURES COOLER. ON THE FINAL LOAD HE NOTED THAT THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE HAD INCREASED. THE PILOT MENTIONED TO HIS PASSENGER THAT HE WOULD MAKE A SHALLOW AND SLOW APPROACH DUE TO THE HEAVY FEELING OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE MADE HIS APPROACH TO THE LANDING AREA AT APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET PER MINUTE RATE OF DESCENT AND AN AIRSPEED OF APPROXIMATELY 30 KNOTS. AT APPROXIMATELY 25 TO 30 FEET AGL THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A SINK RATE WITH THE AIRCRAFT THAT BEGAN TO INCREASE QUICKLY. THE PILOT APPLIED MAXIMUM COLLECTIVE POWER BUT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE SINK RATE. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE IMMEDIATELY DECIDED TO PERFORM A RUN-ON LANDING TO THE INTENDED LANDING AREA. THE PILOT PERFORMED A RUN-ON LANDING TO A SANDY AREA AND SLID SEVERAL FEET. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE RUN-ON LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT TIPPED FORWARD ON THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT CAUSING THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES TO STRIKE THE GROUND. THE MOMENTUM OF THE MAIN ROTORS STRIKING THE GROUND MADE THE HELICOPTER SPIN 180 DEGREES TO THE LEFT CAUSING SEVERE DAMAGE TO SEVERAL AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE IMMEDIATELY PERFORMED AN EMERGENCY SHUT-DOWN OF THE ENGINE. THE AIRCRAFT REMAINED UPRIGHT AFTER THE CRASH AND BOTH THE PILOT AND THE PASSENGER EXITED THE AIRCRAFT UNHARMED.

## 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 WPR22LA261](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA261), Jul 18, 2022: Aerospatiale SA342J (N342WF), Escalante, UT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to control the helicopter’s descent rate during landing, which resulted in collision with terrain.

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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