# Accident 20251022020759A: Eurocopter AS 350 B3, Wetumpka, AL, October 22, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 22, 2025, 16:56 local time
- Place: Wetumpka, AL
- Airport: Wetumpka City Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: 4HYA
- Location: 32.5167° N, 86.3167° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.5167&lon=-86.3167&mi=10
- Aircraft: N545HF, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N545HF) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Eurocopter AS 350 B3 (registry code 8680954, https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-as-350-b3) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL-2B1 (registry code 60056, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-2b1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: EUROCOPTER AS 350 B3
- Reported engine: TURBOMECA ARRIEL 2B1
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 1,575 total, 406 in this make and model, 25 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA26LA026](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA026) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251022020759A

## Narrative

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

PILOT WAS PRACTICING HOVERING AUTOS WITH COMPANY CHECK AIRMEN ON BOARD.  PILOT CHECKRIDE WAS COMPLETED AND AIRCRAFT RETURNED TO BASE.

THIS IS A DELAYED REPORT SINCE THE DAMAGE WAS NOT DISCOVERED UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT WAS PRE FLIGHTED BY ANOTHER PILOT THE NEXT DAY.

## 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 ERA26LA026](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26LA026), Oct 23, 2025: Eurocopter AS350 (N545HF), Wetumpka, AL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper recovery from a practice autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s inadequate supervision of the pilot receiving…

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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