# NTSB LAX05CA102: Aerospatiale AS350BA, N905BK, Lihue, HI, February 21, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: February 21, 2005, 11:33 local (19:33 UTC) - Place: Lihue, HI - Coordinates: 21.97611, -159.338882 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=21.9761&lon=-159.3389&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 5 uninjured - Status: Completed, report June 28, 2006 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 61063 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX05CA102 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/61063/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX05CA102 ## Probable cause the pilot's failure to maintain adequate terrain clearance, which resulted in the in-flight collision with terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with terrain/water, hover - in ground effect - altitude/clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - misc rotorcraft,tail boom - bent - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis The helicopter collided with terrain while hovering in the aft direction prior to takeoff. The tail rotor stinger made contact with elevated terrain, which was 3 to 4 inches higher than the pad from which the helicopter had departed. The stinger dug into the ground, damaging the vertical fin attached to the tail boom. The pilot stated that the helicopter had no mechanical failures or malfunctions during the flight. ## Factual narrative On February 21, 2005, at 1133 Hawaiian standard time, the vertical fin of an Aerospatiale AS350BA, N905BK, contacted terrain while hovering in an aft direction at Lihue, Hawaii. Ohana Helicopter Tours was operating the helicopter under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 135. The commercial pilot and four passengers were not injured; the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The local photography flight was departing the Lihue Airport at the time of the event. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan had been filed. The accident occurred at 29 degrees 58.55 minutes north latitude and 159 degrees 20.33 minutes west longitude. The pilot submitted a Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2). The on-demand photography flight was scheduled to take photographs for Norwegian Cruise Lines. The pilot reported that while reversing the helicopter on departure, the tail rotor stinger made contact with elevated terrain that surrounded the cement ramp pad from which the helicopter was departing. He stated that the terrain was 3 to 4 inches higher than the pad. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to its vertical fin and tail boom. The pilot noted that the tail rotor itself did not come into contact with terrain. He added that he noted no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter prior to the accident. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N905BK](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N905BK-2006-01-30), registration cancelled 2006-01-30, S/N 2509, built 1991 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Aerospatiale AS350BA - Registry model: [Aerospatiale AS350BA](https://openairdocs.org/model/aerospatiale-as350ba) (registry code 8680817) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Turbomeca ARRIEL-1SER](https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-1ser) (registry code 60030, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 2509 - Airframe hours: 12695.9 - Engines: Turbomeca Arriel 1B 640 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Operator: Ohana Aviation Inc., doing business as Ohana Helicopter Tours - Registered owner: Information Leasing Corp. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, February 15, 2005, 24.4 hours before - Departed: LIH, Lihue, HI - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: PHLI, Lihue Airport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: front; flight hours: 16,651 total, 10,000 in this make and model, 15,351 as pilot in command, 120 in the last 90 days, 19 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 110° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 75 °F, dew point 63 °F - Altimeter: 30.06 inHg - Observed at: LIH ## 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 20050221003659A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050221003659A), Feb 21, 2005: Snias AS350BA, Lihue, HI, Substantial damage. (-23) The aircraft was parked on a pad at the lih heliport. Operations at this heliport normally require that the helicopter be brought to a 3-5 foot hover,… 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.