# NTSB CEN12CA269: Eurocopter AS 350 B2, N406EM, Hugo, OK, April 29, 2012 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: April 29, 2012, 00:40 local (05:40 UTC) - Place: Hugo, OK - Coordinates: 34.033611, -95.538612 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.0336&lon=-95.5386&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-hover: Abrupt maneuver](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/270) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 18, 2012 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Eurocopter, FAA Oklahoma City FSDO, American Eurocopter Corporation, Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses (BEA) - France - NTSB case key (mKey): 83548 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN12CA269 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/83548/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=83548 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12CA269 ## Probable cause The pilot’s inadequate collective control inputs while performing a hovering autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the check airman's delayed remedial action. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters: descent rate](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Incorrect use/operation (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 242 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062037/cases.md) - [Action: incorrect action performance](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,386 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041015/cases.md) - [Action: delayed action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Instructor/check pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [All aircraft, 894 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041025/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-hover: Abrupt maneuver](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/270) (defining event); cases with it: [All aircraft, 346 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/270/sequence.md) - [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092); cases with it: [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis A check airman was giving the pilot-in-command (PIC) an annual check ride with night vision goggles in the emergency medical service helicopter. After a satisfactory slope landing, the PIC repositioned the helicopter to a flat area and performed a hovering autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing. The check airman then demonstrated a second hovering autorotation, and the PIC performed another hovering autorotation that was satisfactory. The check airman continued the annual check ride. After the flight, during a post-flight examination, substantial damage was discovered to the tail boom and the aft portion of the fuselage. The damage was consistent with a hard landing, presumably incurred during the first hovering autorotation in which the helicopter landed hard. In a statement provided to the NTSB, the check airman said that he should have guarded the collective more to limit the amount of control input during the practice autorotation maneuvers. ## Factual narrative A check airman was giving the pilot in command a night vision goggle (NVG) annual check ride in the emergency medical service helicopter. After a satisfactory slope landing, the pilot in command repositioned the helicopter to a flat area and performed a hovering autorotation which resulted in a hard landing. The check airman then demonstrated a second hovering autorotation and the pilot in command performed a third hovering autorotation which was satisfactory. The check airman continued the annual check ride. After the flight, during a post flight inspection, substantial damage was discovered to the tail boom and the aft portion of the fuselage. The damage was consistent with a hard landing, presumably incurred during the first hovering autorotation in which the helicopter landed hard. In a statement provided to the NTSB, the check airman said that he should have guarded the collective more to limit the amount of control input during the practice autorotation maneuvers. ## Aircraft - Registration: N406EM (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: EUROCOPTER AS 350 B2 - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 9042 - Airframe hours: 6530 - Engines: HONEYWELL LTS 101 732 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Eagle Med LLC - Registered owner: Wells Fargo Equipment Finance Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, April 25, 2012 - Departed: HHW, Hugo, OK - Destination: HHW, Hugo, OK - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: HHW, Stan Stamper Municipal Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Check pilot; age 48; injuries: none; commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review February 19, 2012; seat: left; flight hours: 2,700 total, 500 in this make and model, 1,500 as pilot in command, 25 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours - Pilot; age 63; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review December 15, 2011; seat: right; flight hours: 6,960 total, 760 in this make and model, 5,560 as pilot in command, 60 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 0 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 170° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 29.93 inHg - Observed at: KPRX, 24 nm away ## 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 20120429009119A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120429009119A), Apr 29, 2012: Eurocopter AS 350 B2, Hugo, OK, Substantial damage. During hovering auto for night vision goggles evaluation, aircraft impacted the ground. Post flight revealed tail boom damage. ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 5, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=83548. 2.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40368487&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Statement from Check Airman (item 2, .PDF, 46 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40368490&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20from%20Check%20Airman-Redacted.PDF - Operator's Flight Following/Dispatch Log (item 3, .PDF, 319 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40368491&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Operator%27s%20Flight%20Following%2FDispatch%20Log-Redacted.PDF - Weather Summary (item 4, .PDF, 88 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40369041&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Summary-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.