# NTSB ANC23LA038: Aerospatiale AS350B2, N745RH, Honolulu, HI, May 22, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: May 21, 2023, 15:40 local (May 22, 2023, 01:40 UTC) - Place: Honolulu, HI - Coordinates: 21.320862, -157.9098 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=21.3209&lon=-157.9098&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Emergency descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/600) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Autorotation: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Alaska Regional Office - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 192262 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ANC23LA038 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/192262/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192262 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC23LA038 ## Probable cause The instructor pilot’s inadequate supervision of the pilot receiving instruction, which resulted in a hard landing, and substantial damage to the tail boom. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Fuselage: rotorcraft tail boom](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035302): Aircraft › Aircraft structures · Capability exceeded (probable cause); cases with it: [Aerospatiale AS350B2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035302/cases.md?model=8680877), [All aircraft, 12 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01035302/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Instructor/check pilot; cases with it: [Aerospatiale AS350B2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=8680877), [All aircraft, 9,295 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. - [Autorotation: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Aerospatiale AS350B2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=8680877), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot receiving instruction and instructor pilot completed a Part 135 recurrent training flight, which included, in part, autorotations, hovering autorotations, and sloping ground landings. A post-flight inspection revealed substantial damage to the tail boom that was consistent with a hard landing. The pilots reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N745RH](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N745RH), registered now, S/N 2047, built 1982 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AEROSPATIALE AS350B2 - Registry model: [Aerospatiale AS350B2](https://openairdocs.org/model/aerospatiale-as350b2) (registry code 8680877) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Turbomeca ARRIEL-1D1](https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-1d1) (registry code 60053, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 2047 - Year built: 1982 - Airframe hours: 15293.9 - Engines: Safran Turbomeca Arriel 1D1 712 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Novictor Aviation - Registered owner: United Helicopter Leasing LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Condition, May 20, 2023, 4.2 hours before - Destination: Same as departure - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: PHNL, Daniel K. Inouye International Airport - Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B, Electronic multifunction display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Flight instructor; age 27; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2; last flight review May 3, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 2,595 total, 616 in this make and model, 2,530 as pilot in command, 93 in the last 90 days, 50 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours - Student pilot; age 46; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 23, 2023; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 18,100 total, 142 in this make and model, 5,500 as pilot in command, 212 in the last 90 days, 68 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 70° at 16 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 30.05 inHg - Observed at: PHNL, 2 nm away - METAR: PHNL 220153Z 07016KT 10SM FEW022 FEW038 29/20 A3005 RMK AO2 SLP177 T02940200 ## 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 20230521005129A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230521005129A), May 21, 2023: Aerospatiale AS350B2, Honolulu, HI, Substantial damage. On may 21, 2023, [privacy data omitted] operated Airbus AS350, [privacy data omitted]. 2 pilots employed by [privacy data omitted] conducted a recurrent… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 20, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=192262. 6.3 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 5.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15634565&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ANC23LA038%206120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigative photographs (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 918 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15634761&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=ANC23LA038%20Investigative%20photographs.dotx-Rel.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.