- Date
- June 17, 2016, 18:45 local (23:45 UTC)
- Place
- McAllen, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4035WAirbus AS350
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Tailstrike
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 25, 2016
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- US Customs and Border Protection, Bureau d’Enquêtes et d’Analyses, Airbus Helicopters (Advisor)
- Case key
- 93444
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 inadvertent input of the right tail rotor pedal, which resulted in a loss of directional control and an impact with service equipment.
Findings · 4
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 helicopter pilot reported that during the engine run-up sequence while on a movable helicopter pad attached to a tug, he noticed that the right rear door was not secure. The pilot unhooked his shoulder harness to reach back to secure the door. While attempting to reach the door, the pilot reported that he inadvertently applied right tail rotor pedal, which caused the helicopter to spin to the right multiple times. During the rotation the helicopter departed the movable pad, impacted the tug, and came to rest in an upright position on the ground. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The helicopter pilot reported that during the engine run-up sequence while on a movable helicopter pad attached to a tug, he noticed that the right rear door was not secure. The pilot unhooked his shoulder harness to reach back to secure the door. While attempting to reach the door, the pilot reported that he inadvertently applied right tail rotor pedal, which caused the helicopter to spin to the right multiple times. During the rotation the helicopter departed the movable pad, impacted the tug, and came to rest in an upright position on the ground. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4035W
- Reported as
- Airbus AS350 (B2)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2912
- Built
- 1996
- Airframe hours
- 10,465.6
- Engine
- Turbomeca ARRIEL 1D1, 712 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public aircraft - federal · Public use
- Operator
- US Department Of Homeland Security
- Registered owner
- US Department Of Homeland Security
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · April 13, 2016
- Departed
- MFE · McAllen, TX
- Destination
- MFE · McAllen, TX
- Airport
- MFE · Mc Allen Miller Intl
- Equipment
- Electronic multifunction display, Satellite tracking device, Handheld GPS, Electronic primary flight display
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
- 34
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 7,134 total · 478 in this make and model · 4,973 as pilot in command · 218 in the last 90 days · 87 in the last 30 days · 7 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 97 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.82 inHg
- Observed at
- KMFE, 1 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 20, 2016, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.4 MB in all.