# Accident 20221211019439A: Eurocopter EC120B, Sacramento, CA, December 11, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 11, 2022, 14:00 local time
- Place: Sacramento, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.5791° N, 121.2985° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.5791&lon=-121.2985&mi=10
- Aircraft: N255SD, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N255SD) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Eurocopter EC120B (registry code 8680987, https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-ec120b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Turbomeca ARRIUS-2F (registry code 60010, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arrius-2f) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: EUROCOPTER EC120B
- Reported engine: TURBOMECA ARRIUS 2F
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 5,095 total, 4,949 in this make and model, 76 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR23LA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA068) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20221211019439A

## Narrative

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

AIRCRAFT ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, EC-120 HELICOPTER, LOST CONTROL DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AT APPROXIMATELY 325 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE HELICOPTER FLIGHT CREW WAS CONDUCTING AN APPROACH TO AN URBAN LANDING AREA FOR TRAINING. THE PILOT ON THE CONTROLS ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO SLOW BELOW EFFECTIVE TRANSLATIONAL LIFT (ETL) WHILE IN A LEFT TURN FROM BASE TO FINAL. BOTH PILOTS FELT THE TRANSITION BELOW ETL, AND THE CERTIFIED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR VERBALLY REQUESTED THE PILOT FLYING TO INCREASE AIRSPEED. THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN AN UNCOMMANDED LEFT TURN. THE PILOT ON THE CONTROLS DID NOT RECOGNIZE THE ONSET OF LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS (LTE) AND DID NOT IMMEDIATELY APPLY CORRECTIVE MEASURES. THE AIRCRAFT LEFT YAW RATE INCREASED, AND THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND/FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER. THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN CONTROL BY LOWERING THE COLLECTIVE AND FORWARD CYCLIC. THE PILOT-IN-COMMNAD COULD NOT FULLY RESTORE HELICOPTER CONTROL BEFORE IMPACTING THE GROUND. THE HELICOPTER MADE APPROXIMATELY EIGHT ROTATIONS BEFORE MAKING CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. UPON IMPACT, THE HELICOPTER BOUNCED ABOUT FIFTEEN FEET WITH ONE MORE SPIN BEFORE COMING TO REST IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION. THE LANDING SKIDS WERE FULLY COLLAPSED, WITH THE RIGHT SIDE TAKING MOST OF THE IMPACT, COLLAPSING THE FUSELAGE UNDERSIDE ON THE RIGHT SIDE. THE FLIGHT CREW PERFORMED AN EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN—NO KNOWN DAMAGE TO THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM, TAIL BOOM, OR TAIL ROTOR. THE ENGINE WAS OPERATING NORMALLY UNTIL SHUTDOWN. THERE ARE NO PREVIOUS MAINTENANCE DISCREPANCIES WITH THE TAIL ROTOR SYSTEM.

## 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 WPR23LA068](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23LA068), Dec 11, 2022: Eurocopter EC120B (N255SD), Rancho Cordova, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot receiving instruction’s loss of helicopter control during landing with a crosswind, and the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.

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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