# NTSB LAX01LA042: Eurocopter AS 350B-3, N972AE, Mesa, AZ, November 15, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: November 15, 2000, 10:30 local (17:30 UTC) - Place: Mesa, AZ - Location: 33.4608° N, 111.7283° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at FALCON FLD (FFZ), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.4608&lon=-111.7283&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report May 9, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 50651 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX01LA042 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/50651/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX01LA042 ## Probable cause The dual student's misjudged landing flare and level off, which resulted in a heel first touchdown and subsequent hard landing during a practice autorotation. Also causal was the instructor pilot's inadequate supervision of the student. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - autorotation - intentional - flare - misjudged, dual student (cause) - level off - improper, dual student (cause) - touchdown - improper, dual student (cause) - supervision - inadequate, pilot in command(cfi) (cause) ## Analysis A practice autorotation to touchdown resulted in a hard landing and bent the tail boom of the helicopter at the fuselage attachment juncture. After first demonstrating a practice autorotation to touchdown, the instructor turned control of the helicopter over to the student to perform the next autorotation to landing. The instructor reported that the student's entry was abrupt resulting in first, high rotor rpm, then low rpm; however, the rpm was proper prior to initiating the landing flare. The student's initial pitch application during the flare was a little too high but satisfactory. As the aircraft neared the landing, additional collective was applied, but it was insufficient to check the sink rate and the heels of the skids made ground contact, rocking the helicopter first forward onto the toe of the skid and then back down on the full skid. The pilot heard a metallic sound and, on external inspection, found the tail boom was bent down. ## Factual narrative On November 15, 2000, at 1030 hours mountain standard time, a Eurocopter AS-350-B3, N972AE, was substantially damaged during a hard landing at Falcon Field, Mesa, Arizona. The airline transport certificated instructor pilot and the certificated commercial pilot under instruction were not injured. No flight plan was filed for the local area instructional flight, which departed from Falcon Field about 1000. The flight was operated under 14 CFR Part 91 by Petroleum Helicopters, Inc. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The pilot reported that he had demonstrated an autorotation landing and then turned control of the helicopter over to the student to perform the next autorotation landing. The student's entry was abrupt resulting in first, high rotor rpm, then low rpm; however, the rpm was proper prior to initiating the landing flare. The student's initial pitch application during the flare was a little too high but okay. As the aircraft neared the landing, additional collective was applied, but it was insufficient to check the sink rate and the heels of the skids made ground contact, rocking the helicopter first forward onto the toe of the skid and then back down on the full skid. The pilot heard a metallic sound and, on external inspection, found the tail boom was bent down. The pilot noted that a ballast installation in the tail boom might have contributed to the accident. The helicopter was configured for EMS (Emergency Medical Service) use with a stretcher installation. Part of the EMS modification moved the 48-pound battery into the tail cone forward of the stabilizer and installed a ballast station rated for up to 19.22 pounds of lead ballast in the tip of the tail cone. Both the battery relocation and the ballast installation were installed in accordance with an American Eurocopter Supplemental Type Certificate (STC). The accident helicopter was carrying 18.3 pounds of lead ballast in addition to the relocated 48-pound battery. ## Aircraft - Registration: N972AE (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Eurocopter AS 350B-3 - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 3234 - Airframe hours: 278 - Engines: Turbomeca ARRIEL 2B 847 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Petroleum Helicopters, Inc. - Registered owner: Banc One Leasing Corp. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, October 6, 2000, 50 hours before - Departed: FFZ - Airport: FFZ, Falcon Field ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 51; commercial, airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 12,547 total, 1,540 in this make and model, 11,678 as pilot in command, 80 in the last 90 days, 14 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 130° at 5 knots - Visibility: 40 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: FFZ ## 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 20001115023039A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20001115023039A), Nov 15, 2000: Snias AS350B3, Mesa, AZ, Substantial damage. (-23)After demonstrating an autorotation, the ip allowed the pilot receiving instruction to practice one. The student pilot had to correct rotor RPM (ng)… 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.