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20260319002939A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Aerospatiale SA341G · Winslow, AZ · March 19, 2026

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Date
March 19, 2026 · 14:00 local
Place
Winslow, AZ
Airport
Winslow-Lindbergh Regional
Phase of flight
Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N71FR
Reported as
Aerospatiale SA341G
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
2
Pilot’s certificates
Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
2,025 total7 in this make and model50 in the last 90 days
N71FRRegistered now · Aerospatiale SA341G GAZELLES/N 1274 · Built 1975Airframe modelAerospatiale SA341G GAZELLEEngine modelTurbomeca ASTAZOU-111ATurbo-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.

The recently purchased helicopter was being ferried from Nevada to Florida by the new owner (pilot) and a certificated flight instructor (CFI). The crew stopped at kinw to refuel, topping off both the main and auxiliary fuel tanks.

With the owner at the controls, the helicopter lifted off and climbed to approximately 10–20 feet AGL before reaching torque and temperature limits. The helicopter was unable to maintain altitude. The CFI instructed the pilot to lower the collective. The pilot lowered the collective and initiated a right turn; however, the helicopter descended and impacted the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the tailboom and other components.

Post-event review of weight and balance indicated the helicopter was approximately 143 pounds over the maximum gross weight per the rotorcraft flight manual (rfm). Performance calculations based on rfm charts indicated the aircraft exceeded allowable limits by approximately 279 pounds. The pilot and CFI reported that performance calculations were not completed prior to departure.

As the FAA filed it

THE RECENTLY PURCHASED HELICOPTER WAS BEING FERRIED FROM NEVADA TO FLORIDA BY THE NEW OWNER (PILOT) AND A CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR (CFI). THE CREW STOPPED AT KINW TO REFUEL, TOPPING OFF BOTH THE MAIN AND AUXILIARY FUEL TANKS.

WITH THE OWNER AT THE CONTROLS, THE HELICOPTER LIFTED OFF AND CLIMBED TO APPROXIMATELY 10–20 FEET AGL BEFORE REACHING TORQUE AND TEMPERATURE LIMITS. THE HELICOPTER WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. THE CFI INSTRUCTED THE PILOT TO LOWER THE COLLECTIVE. THE PILOT LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AND INITIATED A RIGHT TURN; HOWEVER, THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED AND IMPACTED THE GROUND, RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE TAILBOOM AND OTHER COMPONENTS.

POST-EVENT REVIEW OF WEIGHT AND BALANCE INDICATED THE HELICOPTER WAS APPROXIMATELY 143 POUNDS OVER THE MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT PER THE ROTORCRAFT FLIGHT MANUAL (RFM). PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS BASED ON RFM CHARTS INDICATED THE AIRCRAFT EXCEEDED ALLOWABLE LIMITS BY APPROXIMATELY 279 POUNDS. THE PILOT AND CFI REPORTED THAT PERFORMANCE CALCULATIONS WERE NOT COMPLETED PRIOR TO DEPARTURE.