- Date
- October 22, 2009, 09:15 local (16:15 UTC)
- Place
- Marana, AZ
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N105LNEurocopter AS 350 B3
- Defining event
- Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 3, 2010
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20091022022229A
- Case key
- 74943
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The improper use of the throttle by the pilot receiving instruction, and the check pilot's inadequate supervision and delayed remedial action, which resulted in the collision with terrain.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
During a practice hovering autorotation the helicopter impacted terrain, which resulted in substantial damage to the tailboom. The left seat check pilot who was giving instruction to the right seat pilot reported that a clear, flat area had been identified for hovering autorotation practice. After being briefed by the check pilot, the right seat pilot brought the helicopter up to a 3- to 5-foot hover. The check pilot stated, "I reminded the pilot that he would retard the throttle. [The] aircraft drifted up to less than 10 feet, [and] before I could correct the altitude deviation the [right seat] pilot aggressively retarded the throttle. The aircraft was allowed to settle to approximately 4 feet before the collective pull was initiated, but I was unable to sufficiently arrest the descent." An examination of the helicopter by a Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness inspector revealed that the tailboom had been wrinkled as a result of the impact with terrain.
Factual narrative
During a practice hovering autorotation the helicopter impacted terrain, which resulted in substantial damage to the tailboom. The left seat check pilot who was giving instruction to the right seat pilot, reported that a clear, flat area had been identified for hovering autorotation practice. After being briefed by the check pilot, the right seat pilot brought [the] helicopter up to a 3 to 5 foot hover. The check pilot stated, "I reminded the pilot that he would retard the throttle. [The] aircraft drifted up to less than 10 feet, [and] before I could correct the altitude deviation the [right seat] pilot aggressively retarded the throttle. The aircraft was allowed to settle to approximately 4 feet before the collective pull was initiated, but I was unable to sufficiently arrest the descent." An examination of the helicopter by a Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness inspector revealed that the tailboom had been wrinkled as a result of impact with terrain.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N105LN
- Reported as
- Eurocopter AS 350 B3
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3249
- Airframe hours
- 6,244
- Engine
- Turbomeca Arrius 2B1, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Air Methods
- Registered owner
- Wells Fargo Bank Northwest NA Trustee
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · October 21, 2009 · 47 hours before
- Departed
- MZJ · Marana, AZ
- Destination
- MZJ · Marana, AZ
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- AVQ · Marana Regional Airport, runway 12, 6,901 × 100 ft, dirt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 3
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 40
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 18, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 4,500 total · 400 in this make and model
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2
- Seat
- Right
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 60
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 14, 2009
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 12,000 total · 500 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 34 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- AVG
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on November 17, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.7 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.