# NTSB NYC98LA058: Aerospatiale AS-355, N355DS, New York, NY, December 31, 1997 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: December 31, 1997, 16:25 local (21:25 UTC) - Place: New York, NY - Coordinates: 40.749984, -73.999526 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7500&lon=-73.9995&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 4 minor, 4 uninjured; on the ground: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report April 15, 1999 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 39527 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC98LA058 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/39527/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC98LA058 ## Probable cause the pilot's misjudgment of distance and speed on final approach with a tailwind, and his failure to perform a go-around in a timely manner. A factor in the accident was the strong tailwind. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Overrun, approach - vfr pattern - final approach - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor) - distance/speed - misjudged, pilot in command (cause) - go-around - not performed, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with object, descent - uncontrolled - object - building(nonresidential) - settling with power - encountered, pilot in command ## Analysis The helicopter had completed a sightseeing tour and was returning to its departure point. The helicopter approached the heliport from the northwest with a tailwind and was cleared to land on the 'Transient' pad. The helicopter over flew the Transient pad and collided with the Control Room Building at the heliport. The pilot said the helicopter 'settled fast' as he applied collective pitch to arrest his descent. He said the helicopter was too close to the terminal building to attempt a go-around. The pilot added more collective pitch as he came over the landing surface but was unable to stop the helicopter prior to collision with the terminal building. He reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the helicopter. The winds reported at the time of the accident were from 290 degrees at 15 knots gusting to 25 knots. ## Factual narrative On December 31, 1997, at 1625 eastern standard time, an Aerospatiale AS-355 helicopter, N355DS, was substantially damaged during collision with a building while landing at the West 30th Street Heliport (JRA), New York, New York. The certificated commercial pilot and three passengers were not injured. Two other passengers in the helicopter and two persons on the ground received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the sightseeing flight that originated at JRA at 1612. No flight plan was filed for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to an FAA Aviation Safety Inspector, the helicopter had completed a sightseeing tour with the pilot and five passengers on board. The helicopter approached the heliport from the northwest with a tailwind and was cleared to land on the "Transient" pad at JRA. The helicopter over flew the Transient pad and collided with the Control Room Building at the heliport. In a written statement, the pilot reported: "When I started to pull collective to terminate the approach, the aircraft started to settle fast. At that point, I was too close to fly out of it so I tried to keep the aircraft level and steered slightly right. The aircraft still settled and then I came over the bulkhead. I tried to pull more collective to stop it. Since I was in ground effect, that was the last thing I could try to stop it. [The] aircraft contacted the ground and skidded until the aircraft contacted the building." In written statements, witnesses stated the helicopter approached the landing site from the northwest. From inside the control room they watched the helicopter "...overshoot the assigned landing spot..." and vacated the room prior to the helicopter's collision with the building. One witness stated, "The pilot did not indicate any control problems with the helicopter." According to the United States Army Field Manual 1-203, Fundamentals of Flight, "Settling with power is a condition of powered flight in which the helicopter settles in its own downwash...Conditions conducive to settling with power are a vertical or near-vertical descent of at least 300 feet per minute and low forward speed...These conditions can occur during downwind approaches...steep approaches...and hover [out of ground effect]....If not enough power is available for recovery, applying collective pitch may aggravate power settling." The pilot reported that there were no mechanical deficiencies with the helicopter. At the time of the accident, the winds reported at JRA were from 290 degrees at 15 knots gusting to 25 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N355DS](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N355DS-1999-03-03), registration cancelled 1999-03-03, S/N 5110 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Aerospatiale AS-355 - Registry model: [Aerospatiale AS355F TWINSTAR](https://openairdocs.org/model/aerospatiale-as355f-twinstar) (registry code 8680807) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 5110 - Airframe hours: 4345 - Engines: Allison A250-C20F 420 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 91 - Operator: Liberty Helicopters - Registered owner: Meridian Consulting Co. Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, December 23, 1997, 11 hours before - Departed: JRA - Airport: JRA, West 30th Street Heliport ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 30; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter, airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: right; flight hours: 4,500 total, 120 in this make and model, 4,400 as pilot in command, 160 in the last 90 days, 50 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 350° at 15 knots, gusting 25 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 25 °F, dew point 3 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: EWR, 10 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 19971231039849A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19971231039849A), Dec 31, 1997: Aerosp AS355F, New York, NY, Substantial damage. Entered settling with power regime landing at heloport. Collided with ops building. (.4)the helicopter had completed a sightseeing tour and was returning to… 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.