# NTSB ANC13CA035: Eurocopter AS350B3, N353DL, Stevens Village, AK, March 24, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: March 24, 2013, 11:40 local (19:40 UTC) - Place: Stevens Village, AK - Coordinates: 66.174163, -149.120285 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=66.1742&lon=-149.1203&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 18, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 86508 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC13CA035 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/86508/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86508 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC13CA035 ## Probable cause The pilot’s inadvertent cyclic control input after landing, which resulted in the main rotor blades striking the ground. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [American Eurocopter AS350B3, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=1145004), [All aircraft, 9,310 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [American Eurocopter AS350B3, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=1145004), [All aircraft, 4,590 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [American Eurocopter AS350B3, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1145004), [All aircraft, 10,153 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The helicopter pilot was supporting a seismic drilling operation at a remote drill site. He had just completed moving one of the seismic drills via long line and had landed the high-skid, turbine-powered helicopter in a clear area to wait for the next move. After landing, before reducing the power to flight idle and locking the flight controls, the pilot opened the right-side door, returned his right hand to the cyclic, and leaned out to ensure the tail rotor was clear of obstacles. While looking rearward, the pilot inadvertently moved the cyclic to the right, and the helicopter rolled up on the right skid. He immediately applied left cyclic, but the main rotor blades struck the snow. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the rotor system, tail boom, and fuselage. The pilot indicated there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot noted that the accident might have been avoided if he had used the collective lock before engaging in activities outside the cockpit. ## Factual narrative The helicopter pilot was supporting a seismic drilling operation, at a remote drill site. He had just completed moving one of the seismic drills via long line and had landed the high-skid, turbine-powered helicopter in a clear area to wait for the next move. After landing, before reducing the power to flight idle and locking the flight controls, he opened the right-side door, returned his right hand to the cyclic, and leaned out to ensure the tail rotor was clear of obstacles. While looking rearward, he inadvertently moved the cyclic to the right, and the helicopter rolled up on the right skid. He immediately applied left cyclic, but the main rotor blades struck the snow. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the rotor system, tail boom, and fuselage. The pilot indicated there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. In the pilot’s written statement to the National Transportation Safety Board he noted that the accident might have been avoided if he had used the collective lock before engaging in activities outside the cockpit. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N353DL](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N353DL-2018-02-08), registration cancelled 2018-02-08, S/N 7319, built 2012 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: EUROCOPTER AS350B3 - Registry model: [American Eurocopter AS350B3](https://openairdocs.org/model/american-eurocopter-as350b3) (registry code 1145004) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Turbomeca ARRIEL-2D](https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-2d) (registry code 60080, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 7319 - Airframe hours: 1210 - Engines: TURBOMECA ARRIEL 2B turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 133 - Operator: Soloy Helicopters - Registered owner: Bruce Andrews - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, March 16, 2013 - Departed: SVS, Stevens Village, AK - Destination: SVS, Stevens Village, AK ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 43; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review September 1, 2012; seat: right; flight hours: 5,200 total, 3,036 in this make and model, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: -29 °F ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20130324006249A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130324006249A), Mar 24, 2013: American Eurocopter Corp AS350B3, Stevens Village, AK, Substantial damage. The pilot was conducting external load operations and had landed at an off airport site awaiting hook-up in 2-3 feet of snow. The aircraft was at flight RPM.… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 8, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=86508. 689 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 557 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40390433&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Helicopter Supplemental Checklist (item 2, .PDF, 133 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40390991&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Helicopter%20Supplemental%20Checklist-Master.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.