# NTSB ERA20CA181: Aerospatiale SA341, N9334W, Fort Myers, FL, April 9, 2020 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report - Date: April 9, 2020, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC) - Place: Fort Myers, FL - Coordinates: 26.586666, -81.863334 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.5867&lon=-81.8633&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 101268 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA20CA181 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/101268/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101268 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA181 ## Probable cause A hard landing that occurred at an unknown time and date, which resulted in substantial damage that was identified prior to a subsequent flight. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Performance/control parameters](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Aerospatiale GAZELLE SA341F2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=8680701), [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md) - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Aerospatiale GAZELLE SA341F2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=8680701), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Aerospatiale GAZELLE SA341F2, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=8680701), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, prior to departure, he performed a preflight inspection with guidance from one of the helicopter's owners over the telephone. He determined that "everything was normal." As he prepared for startup, he was unable to close the helicopter's cabin door. He discussed this with the owner, and then removed the door and secured it in the rear of the helicopter. Upon lifting to a 3-foot hover, the helicopter began to turn left, and he was unable to correct the turn with right pedal input. He lowered the collective, and as the helicopter touched town, it "did a hovering auto bounce with slight movement to the right and forward and came to a stop." The pilot called the owner to discuss what occurred and subsequently performed two test hovers. He checked the pedals and controls, and the helicopter performed normally. The pilot then flew to the first of two intermediate destinations, and the helicopter performed normally with no abnormal vibrations or noises. He picked up a passenger without shutting down the helicopter, and proceeded to the next intermediate destination, where he shut-down the helicopter to refuel. During a walkaround at this stop, the pilot noticed that part of the horizontal stabilizer was "chipped off." The fueler reported to the pilot that he had previously seen the helicopter make several "scary hard landings" during previous flights. The pilot and passenger then flew to the final destination without incident. Subsequent examination of the helicopter revealed substantial damage to the fuselage consistent with a hard landing. The pilot at the time of the hard landing , and the date and time of occurrence was not determined. ## Factual narrative The pilot reported that, prior to departure, he performed a preflight inspection with guidance from one of the helicopter's owners over the telephone. He determined that "everything was normal." As he prepared for startup, he was unable to close the helicopter's cabin door. He discussed this with the owner, and then removed the door and secured it in the rear of the helicopter. Upon lifting to a 3-foot hover, the helicopter began to turn left, and he was unable to correct the turn with right pedal input. He lowered the collective, and as the helicopter touched town, it "did a hovering auto bounce with slight movement to the right and forward and came to a stop." The pilot called the owner to discuss what occurred and subsequently performed two test hovers. He checked the pedals and controls, and the helicopter performed normally. The pilot then flew to the first of two intermediate destinations, and the helicopter performed normally with no abnormal vibrations or noises. He picked up a passenger without shutting down the helicopter, and proceeded to the next intermediate destination, where he shut-down the helicopter to refuel. During a walkaround at this stop, the pilot noticed that part of the horizontal stabilizer was "chipped off." The fueler reported to the pilot that he had previously seen the helicopter make several "scary hard landings" during previous flights. The pilot and passenger then flew to the final destination without incident.Subsequent examination of the helicopter revealed substantial damage to the fuselage consistent with a hard landing. The pilot at the time of the hard landing , and the date and time of occurrence was not determined. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N9334W](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9334W-2020-09-21), registration cancelled 2020-09-21, S/N 1575, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AEROSPATIALE SA341 (F2) - Registry model: [Aerospatiale GAZELLE SA341F2](https://openairdocs.org/model/aerospatiale-gazelle-sa341f2) (registry code 8680701) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Turbomeca ASTAZOU IIIC2](https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-astazou-iiic2) (registry code 60088, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 1575 - Year built: 1976 - Engines: Turbomeca Astazou III 590 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Operator: Ross Transportation Inc - Registered owner: Ross Transportation Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Departed: FMY, Fort Myers, FL - Destination: APF, Naples, FL - Flight plan: Unknown - Airport: FMY, Page Field ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, unknown; flight hours: 1,622 total, 6 in this make and model, 120 in the last 90 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 290° at 11 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 4,100 ft broken - Temperature: 84 °F, dew point 70 °F - Altimeter: 29.89 inHg - Observed at: FMY ## 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 20200409003429A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20200409003429A), Apr 9, 2020: Aerospatiale GAZELLE SA341F2, Fort Meyers, FL, Substantial damage. An experimental exhibition helicopter departing ft. Meyers (fmy) Page Field enroute to st. augustine (ksgj) sustained damage due to unspecified reasons. The… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 10, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=101268. 1.3 MB in all. - Pilot Statement (item 1, .PDF, 93 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40486827&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%20Statement-Master.PDF - Weather Reports and Records (item 2, .PDF, 263 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40486828&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Weather%20Reports%20and%20Records-Master.PDF - Photos (item 3, .PDF, 964 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40486829&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos-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.