- Date
- July 30, 2011, 17:56 local (21:56 UTC)
- Place
- Humacao, PR
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N413LPEurocopter AS 350 B3
- Defining event
- Landing: Tailstrike
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 17, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/FSDO
- Case key
- 81336
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a building during landing.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that while on final approach, the helicopter's tail rotor impacted the corner of a building while he was trying to avoid flying debris. Following the impact, he immediately lowered the collective and landed without further incident. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies during the approach to landing. Examination of the helicopter revealed substantial damage to the tail rotor, gearbox, right horizontal stabilizer, and the tail boom.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that while on final approach, the tail rotor impacted the corner of a building while he was trying to avoid flying debris. Following the impact, he immediately lowered the collective and landed without further incident. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies during the approach to landing. Examination of the helicopter by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed substantial damage to the tail rotor, gearbox, right horizontal stabilizer, and the tail boom.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N413LP
- Reported as
- Eurocopter AS 350 B3
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3228
- Airframe hours
- 1,209
- Engine
- Turbomeca ARRIEL 1SER, 681 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Helicorp Inc
- Registered owner
- Helicorp Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 29, 2010 · 99 hours before
- Departed
- Las Piedras, PR
- Destination
- Humacao, PR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 69
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 14, 2010
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 7,806 total · 1,197 in this make and model · 7,806 as pilot in command · 29 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.90 inHg
- Observed at
- TJSJ
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 9, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 13.1 MB in all.
Other investigations on N413LP · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.