# NTSB MIA08CA072: Eurocopter France AS350B1, N152TA, Linden, NJ, March 4, 2008 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report - Date: March 4, 2008, 10:30 local (15:30 UTC) - Place: Linden, NJ - Coordinates: 40.616943, -74.239997 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.6169&lon=-74.2400&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/800) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Other: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report March 31, 2008 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Teterboro FSDO-25 - NTSB case key (mKey): 67606 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA08CA072 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/67606/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA08CA072 ## Probable cause The pilot's improper preflight preparation and his failure to maintain control of the helicopter. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Planning/preparation: flight planning/navigation](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061025): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Aerospatiale AS350B1 ECUREUIL, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061025/cases.md?model=8680811), [All aircraft, 179 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02061025/cases.md) - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Aerospatiale AS350B1 ECUREUIL, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=8680811), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Uncontrolled descent: Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900); cases with it: [Aerospatiale AS350B1 ECUREUIL, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md?model=8680811), [All aircraft, 1,556 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900/sequence.md) - [Other: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Aerospatiale AS350B1 ECUREUIL, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=8680811), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated that he was taking off from a dolly for a track and balance maintenance flight. He said that while hover taxiing the right door blew open. Shortly thereafter, he noticed that his clipboard was about to fall out of the helicopter. He quickly tried to transfer his left hand to the cyclic so that he could use his right hand to stop the clipboard from falling. He said that he put in too much aft cyclic and the tail guard struck the ground. Examination by a FAA inspector revealed that the tail boom was buckled. The pilot did not report any mechanical anomalies prior to the accident ## Factual narrative The pilot stated that he was taking off from a dolly for a track and balance maintenance flight. He said that while hover taxiing the right door blew open. Shortly thereafter, he noticed that his clipboard was about to fall out of the helicopter. He quickly tried to transfer his left hand to the cyclic so that he could use his right hand to stop the clipboard from falling. He said that he put in too much aft cyclic and the tail guard struck the ground. Examination by a FAA inspector revealed that the tail boom was buckled. The pilot did not report any mechanical anomalies prior to the accident ## Aircraft - Registration: [N152TA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N152TA-2017-04-14), registration cancelled 2017-04-14, S/N 2241, built 1989 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Eurocopter France AS350B1 - Registry model: [Aerospatiale AS350B1 ECUREUIL](https://openairdocs.org/model/aerospatiale-as350b1-ecureuil) (registry code 8680811) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Turbomeca ARRIEL-1SER](https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-1ser) (registry code 60030, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 2241 - Airframe hours: 16479 - Engines: Turbomeca Arrial 1 D 732 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Flight test, Part 91 - Operator: Liberty Helicopters - Registered owner: Meridian Consulting Co Incorporated - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, February 1, 2008, 22 hours before - Departed: LDJ, LINDEN, NJ - Destination: LDJ, LINDEN, NJ - Airport: LDJ, Linden ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 28; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2; last flight review February 1, 2007; seat: right; flight hours: 1,750 total, 750 in this make and model, 1,700 as pilot in command, 109 in the last 90 days, 32 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 15 knots - Lowest ceiling: 2,900 ft broken - Temperature: 63 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 29.95 inHg - Observed at: EWR, 5 nm away ## 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 20080304013089A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080304013089A), Mar 4, 2008: Snias AS350B1, Linden, NJ, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot was hovering aircraft from dolly to hardstand to do track and balance to rotor system. Pilot door opened, pilot took right hand off of the cyclic… 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.