LAX04LA035

The helicopter impacted a taxiway after a experiencing a loss of anti torque control during an emergency landing. The pilot reported a hydraulic system failure and diverted to the nearest airport. During the emergency landing, after slowing the helicopter and descending through 100 feet, the helicopter yawed to the left. The pilot attempted to apply right pedal but was met with more force than he was expecting to overcome in moving the anti torque pedals. The pilot attempted to keep the helicopter in a level attitude; however, he was unable to stop the helicopter from spinning. The helicopter touched down, and rotated on the ground until the right landing gear skid collapsed and the main rotor system impacted the ground. The helicopter came to rest on its right side. The engine continued to operate and the main rotor blades repeatedly impacted the ground until the fire department was able to shutdown the engine by directing a stream of firefighting foam into the engine intake. The pilot turned off the electrical master switch and exited the helicopter. The AS350 B3 is equipped with four servo actuators, three for the main rotor system and one for the tail rotor blade pitch control. The flight manual emergency procedures section notes that without any hydraulic pressure, the anti torque pedal operating force is very high on the helicopter. Post accident examination of the wreckage revealed the hydraulic test switch was depressed. Activation of the hydraulic test switch will dump hydraulic pressure and is used during the preflight inspection to test the hydraulic accumulator pressure. If it is depressed during flight, the hydraulic system will dump pressure and mirror a hydraulic system failure. No other anomalies were noted with the hydraulic system during post accident examinations and testing. The recommended emergency procedures for a hydraulic system failure dictates that the pilot make a flat approach over a clear landing area and land with slight forward speed.

History of flight

On November 3, 2003, about 1745 mountain standard time, a Eurocopter AS350 B3 helicopter, N820NA, utilizing call sign Native 9, experienced a loss of control and crashed on a taxiway during an emergency landing at Falcon Field Airport (FFZ), Mesa, Arizona. Native American Air Ambulance, Inc., was operating the helicopter under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 135. The airline transport pilot, two medical crewmembers, and one medical patient were uninjured; the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The aero medical cross-country flight departed Show Low, Arizona, about 1700, and was en route to Scottsdale, Arizona. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company flight plan had been filed. The primary wreckage was located at 37 degrees 27.39 minutes north latitude and 111 degrees 43.42 minutes west longitude.

The pilot reported he was 3 to 4 miles north of FFZ when the hydraulic warning light illuminated and the associated audio warning activated. He was in communication with Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport's (PHX) air traffic control tower controllers. He told the PHX controller that he was diverting to FFZ due to a hydraulic problem. The pilot elected to remain on PHX tower frequency, and requested that they notify FFZ tower of his intent to land. The pilot slowed the aircraft down and turned off the hydraulic system using the switch located on the collective lever. The helicopter was approaching FFZ from the northwest, on a heading of 130 degrees. The pilot reported the winds were 250 degrees at 8 knots. He intended, after crossing the runways from the north to the south, to perform a run on landing on the Bravo taxiway and land at the base of the control tower. Prior to crossing the runways (04R-22L and 04L-22R), and after descending below 100 feet agl, the pilot slowed the helicopter, and it started to yaw to the left. The pilot attempted to apply right pedal but was met with more force than he was expecting to overcome. He attempted to keep the helicopter in a level attitude; however, he was unable to stop the helicopter from spinning. The helicopter touched down, and rotated on the ground until the right landing gear skid collapsed. The helicopter came to rest on its right side.

Before the pilot could get the engine shutdown or the main rotors stopped, the main rotor blades impacted the ground. The pilot stated that he was unable to conduct an emergency engine shutdown because of the "violent shaking of the helicopter." The engine shutdown after the fire department applied firefighting foam to the engine intake.

During a telephone interview with the National Transportation Safety Board investigator-in-charge (IIC), the pilot was asked why he had not declared an emergency during the hydraulic failure. He stated he did not feel it was an emergency; he felt very confident in his abilities to land the helicopter without the hydraulics.

Personnel information

A review of Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airman records revealed that the pilot held an airline transport pilot certificate with a rating for helicopters. The pilot held a certified flight instructor (CFI) certificate with a rating for helicopters and instrument helicopters. The CFI certificate was issued on January 03, 2003, and expires on January 31, 2005.

The pilot held a second-class medical certificate that was issued on April 2, 2003. It had no limitations or waivers.

An examination of the pilot's logbook indicated he accumulated an estimated total flight time of 2,288 hours. He logged 171 hours in the last 90 days and 19 hours in the last 30 days. He had an estimated 398 hours in this make and model. He completed a 14 CFR Part 135 airman competency check ride on October 21, 2003.

The pilot was conducting the third dispatched flight of the day on his first day of employment with Native Air.

Aircraft information

The helicopter was a single engine multipurpose Eurocopter AS350 B3, serial number 3602. A review of the helicopter's logbooks revealed a total airframe time of 1,097 hours at the last 100-hour inspection. The Hobbs hour meter read 1,132.0 at the accident scene. The total time on the helicopter at the time of the accident was 1,143.3 hours.

The helicopter's engine was a Turbomeca Arriel 2B1 engine, serial number 22342. Total time on the engine at the last 100-hour inspection was 1,097.6 hours.

Examination of the maintenance and flight department records revealed no unresolved maintenance discrepancies against the helicopter prior to departure.

All four hydraulic servo accumulators were serviced on July 21, 2003, at 814.1 hours. On the day of the accident, the pilot reported "sluggish" cyclic controls during the hydraulic system ground check. The three main rotor accumulators were serviced with nitrogen to 15 bars at 74 degrees. The maintenance was completed at the aircraft's total time of 1140.2 hours.

The pilot completed weight and balance calculations prior to the flight. The total weight was calculated to be 4,938.0 pounds with a center of gravity (cg) of 130.8 inches. The maximum gross weight for the helicopter was 4,961 pounds with forward and aft cg limits of 126.4 inches and 134.7 inches, respectively.

Hydraulic system

The AS350 B3 is equipped with four servo actuators, three for the main rotor system and one for the tailrotor blade pitch control. The Eurocopter AS350 Instruction Manual states:

The helicopter can be controlled without servo actuators, but this requires the

pilot to apply non-negligible forces that are difficult to gauge. These control loads

are absorbed by hydraulic servo actuators so that the pilot can fly the helicopter

PRECISELY and EFFORTLESSLY.

In case of loss of hydraulic pressure, accumulators in the main rotor servo actuators

provide a small energy reserve, giving the pilot time to reconfigure in the safety

configuration. The B1, B2 and B3 versions are fitted with a yaw load compensator.

YAW LOAD COMPENSATOR ON VERSIONS B1, B2 and B3

Without any hydraulic pressure, the pedal operating force is very high on the B1, B2 and B3

versions. This is why a hydraulic device or "load compensator" has been mounted in

parallel with the tail rotor servo actuator.

In case of hydraulic failure (pump inoperative, leakage, etc.) ,the accumulator is kept

charged by -non-return valve in the pressure circuit

-pressure relief valve set at 55 bar (N.B. The system's operating pressure is 40 bar)

[1 bar equals 14.7 PSI]

-solenoid valve always closed and opened by the pilot

The AS350 B3 Flight Manual states:

A tail rotor servo-control mounted on the tail boom actuates a rod which controls the tail

rotor spider bellcrank. In the event of a hydraulic system failure, a load compensating

servo in the tail rotor linkage limits the yaw pedal operating load. The hydraulic

accumulator that supplies the compensation system may be depressurized by means

of a HYD. TEST pushbutton.

The pilot is informed of hydraulic system fault conditions by a red "HYD"

low-pressure warning light on the Warning-Caution-Advisory Panel, and by an

aural alarm, both of which are actuated by the pressure switch on the regulator unit.

The gong sounds to warn of:

-Rotor speed (NR) between approx. 250 and 360 r.p.m. (continuous sound).

-Rotor speed above 410 r.p.m. (intermittent sound).

-Hydraulic pressure drop (below 30 bars).

It is operative only if the "HORN" pushbutton is pushed in. When this push-button is out,

at nominal rotor speed, the HORN light of the warning-caution-advisory panel is on.

Alarm procedure (if HORN sounds):

-If the HYD warning light is on:

The malfunction is in the hydraulic system.

The switch on the collective pitch lever can be used to cut off all hydraulic power by

opening the three solenoid valves on the main rotor servo-controls to depressur