What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On may 21, 2023, privacy data omitted operated Airbus AS350, privacy data omitted. 2 pilots employed by privacy data omitted conducted a recurrent training flight under the certificate holder's FAA initially approved training program. The flight maneuvers performed during this flight included slope landings, hovering autorotation, simulated hydraulics failure, straight in autorotation, autorotation with turn, and confined area landings.
Upon completion of training, the pilots conducted a post flight inspection. The pilots discovered dented skin on the aircraft tailboom and reported the damage to certificate holder management personnel. Certificate holder management personnel assessed the damage as dented skin and did not notify or report this as an occurrence, incident, or accident.
On may 23, 2023, an FAA inspector arrived at the certificate holder to conduct flight observations of the 2 accident pilots. The FAA inspector was not aware of any occurrence, incident, or accident involving the 2 pilots.
On may 25, 2023, the certificate holder notified the FAA principal operations inspector of the damage. The FAA principal operations inspector told to certificate holder to report the damage the regional operations center.
As the FAA filed it
ON MAY 21, 2023, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ OPERATED AIRBUS AS350, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. 2 PILOTS EMPLOYED BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CONDUCTED A RECURRENT TRAINING FLIGHT UNDER THE CERTIFICATE HOLDER'S FAA INITIALLY APPROVED TRAINING PROGRAM. THE FLIGHT MANEUVERS PERFORMED DURING THIS FLIGHT INCLUDED SLOPE LANDINGS, HOVERING AUTOROTATION, SIMULATED HYDRAULICS FAILURE, STRAIGHT IN AUTOROTATION, AUTOROTATION WITH TURN, AND CONFINED AREA LANDINGS.
UPON COMPLETION OF TRAINING, THE PILOTS CONDUCTED A POST FLIGHT INSPECTION. THE PILOTS DISCOVERED DENTED SKIN ON THE AIRCRAFT TAILBOOM AND REPORTED THE DAMAGE TO CERTIFICATE HOLDER MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL. CERTIFICATE HOLDER MANAGEMENT PERSONNEL ASSESSED THE DAMAGE AS DENTED SKIN AND DID NOT NOTIFY OR REPORT THIS AS AN OCCURRENCE, INCIDENT, OR ACCIDENT.
ON MAY 23, 2023, AN FAA INSPECTOR ARRIVED AT THE CERTIFICATE HOLDER TO CONDUCT FLIGHT OBSERVATIONS OF THE 2 ACCIDENT PILOTS. THE FAA INSPECTOR WAS NOT AWARE OF ANY OCCURRENCE, INCIDENT, OR ACCIDENT INVOLVING THE 2 PILOTS.
ON MAY 25, 2023, THE CERTIFICATE HOLDER NOTIFIED THE FAA PRINCIPAL OPERATIONS INSPECTOR OF THE DAMAGE. THE FAA PRINCIPAL OPERATIONS INSPECTOR TOLD TO CERTIFICATE HOLDER TO REPORT THE DAMAGE THE REGIONAL OPERATIONS CENTER.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.