# NTSB LAX04LA285: Eurocopter France AS350B3, N5226R, Cibecue, AZ, June 26, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 26, 2004, 04:30 local (11:30 UTC) - Place: Cibecue, AZ - Coordinates: 34.044723, -110.484725 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.0447&lon=-110.4847&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report September 13, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration Scottsdale FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 59833 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX04LA285 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59833/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX04LA285 ## Probable cause the pilot's failure to maintain a proper decent rate during the landing approach and misjudged landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing. A factor in the accident was the brownout conditions created by the dust cloud that interfered with the pilot's perception of proximity to the ground. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - visual/aural perception, pilot in command (contributing factor) - proper descent rate - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - whiteout (contributing factor) - flare - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis The helicopter landed hard damaging the tail boom while landing at a improvised landing zone to pickup a medical patient. Several days prior, the pilot had landed at the same landing zone (a baseball field) and recalled that he encountered a large cloud of blowing dirt and was anticipating the same thing. About 3 feet above ground level, as the helicopter slowed to about 10 knots, a dust cloud began to formulate. The pilot said that the helicopter continued to descend and made a "firm" touchdown on the right skid, followed almost immediately by the left. A medical crewmember reported that on final approach he felt as though the helicopter was descending faster than normal. As the helicopter came into ground effect, a significant amount of dust was stirred up, diminishing visibility. The medical crewmember said the skids touched down with "significant" force. The operator reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions of failures with the helicopter. ## Factual narrative On June 26, 2004 about 0430 mountain standard time, an Eurocopter AS350B3, N5226R, experienced a hard landing in Cibicue, Arizona. Native American Air Ambulance was operating the helicopter for a positioning flight under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. The airline transport pilot and two medical crewmembers were not injured; the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The emergency medical flight departed Show Low Regional Airport, Show Low, Arizona, about 0400, with a planned destination of Cibicue. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company flight plan had been filed. On July 4, 2004, damage to the tail boom was discovered during routine maintenance activities. The damage was described as dimples or depressions in the tail boom skin just aft and below the aft VOR antenna mount. The skin abnormalities were predominantly on the right side of the boom and were not obviously discernable unless viewed from aft looking forward along the boom skin. Eurocopter provided an on-site evaluation of the boom and determined that the damage was structural (requiring major repair) and was consistent with the expected damage pattern resulting from a hard landing. The operator then undertook an investigation to determine when the damage had occurred by interviewing the flight crews of all flights prior to July 4. The only flight that had any anomaly associated with it was the June 26, 2004, flight to Cibecue. In a written report, the pilot of the June 26 flight stated that he and a medical crew were dispatched from Show Low to pickup a stabbing victim at Cibecue for transport to a hospital in Scottsdale, Arizona. Several days prior, the pilot had landed at the same landing zone, a baseball field in Cibicue, and was familiar with the area. The last time he had landed and departed from the landing zone he encountered blowing dirt, and in an effort to adequately prepare, he briefed the medical crewmembers of the anticipated dust cloud. As he approached the baseball field, the pilot located a small patch of grassy terrain and opted to touchdown there. About 3 feet above ground level, as the helicopter slowed to about 10 knots, a dust cloud began to formulate. The helicopter continued to descend and made a "firm" touchdown on the right skid, followed almost immediately by the left. He thought that the touchdown was not unusually hard, and added that he had experienced similar touchdowns in the same make and model helicopter. After landing, the pilot apologized to the crew that the landing was not as smooth as normal, and explained that is was necessary due to the dust. He shutdown the helicopter and egressed, in an effort to complete a walk around inspection. He noted no mechanical irregularities or damage to the helicopter. A medical crewmember reported in a written statement that on final approach he felt as though the helicopter was descending faster than normal. As the helicopter came into ground effect, a significant amount of dust was stirred up, diminishing visibility. The skids then touched down with "significant" force. The operator reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions of failures with the helicopter. ## Aircraft - Registration: N5226R (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Eurocopter France AS350B3 - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 3144 - Airframe hours: 3253.2 - Engines: Turbomeca Arriel 2B 747 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 91 - Operator: Native American Air Ambulance Inc - Registered owner: Roberts Aircraft Company - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, June 13, 2004, 3,166.7 hours before - Departed: SOW, Show Low Region, AZ - Destination: Cibecue, AZ - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: Dirt Landing Zone ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 58; injuries: none; airline transport, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review October 18, 2003; seat: right; flight hours: 6,800 total, 1,100 in this make and model, 6,600 as pilot in command, 116 in the last 90 days, 51 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Dawn - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 50 °F, dew point 27 °F ## 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 20040626018319A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040626018319A), Jun 26, 2004: Snias AS350B3, Cibecue, AZ, Substantial damage. (-23) On July 27, 2004 the director of operations for native air ambulance reported that on July 4, 2004, damage was discovered to the tailboom section of… 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.