# NTSB WPR12CA118: Eurocopter AS 350 B3, N118MB, Poway, CA, February 25, 2012

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report
- Date: February 25, 2012, 14:15 local (22:15 UTC)
- Place: Poway, CA
- Coordinates: 32.933887, -116.996948 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.9339&lon=-116.9969&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report May 3, 2012
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: Federal Aviation Administration FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 82971
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR12CA118
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/82971/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=82971
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12CA118

## Probable cause

The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions during landing, which resulted in a hard landing.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Eurocopter AS 350 B3, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=8680954), [All aircraft, 9,308 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)
- [Wind: tailwind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Eurocopter AS 350 B3, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md?model=8680954), [All aircraft, 594 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034015/cases.md)
- [Wind: updraft](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034030): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Contributed to outcome; cases with it: [Eurocopter AS 350 B3, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034030/cases.md?model=8680954), [All aircraft, 14 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034030/cases.md)
- [Wind](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034000): Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena · Response/compensation (probable cause); cases with it: [Eurocopter AS 350 B3, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034000/cases.md?model=8680954), [All aircraft, 110 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03034000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Eurocopter AS 350 B3, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=8680954), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The pilot stated that he was approaching a landing zone on a flat pinnacle with a tailwind. The helicopter was within 50 feet of the landing area in a slow, stable, shallow approach when it encountered an updraft. When the helicopter flew out of the updraft, it abruptly descended to the ground. The helicopter landed hard, and the impact buckled the tail boom and sheared off the left landing gear skid.

## Factual narrative

The pilot stated that he was approaching a landing zone on a flat pinnacle with a tailwind. The helicopter was in a slow, stable, shallow approach when it encountered an updraft within 50 feet of the landing area. When the helicopter flew out of the updraft, it abruptly descended to the ground. The helicopter contacted the ground in a flat orientation, and the impact buckled the tail boom and sheared the left landing gear skid off.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N118MB](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N118MB), registered now, S/N 3535, built 2002 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: EUROCOPTER AS 350 B3
- Registry model: [Eurocopter AS 350 B3](https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-as-350-b3) (registry code 8680954) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Turbomeca ARRIEL-2B1](https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-2b1) (registry code 60056, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 3535
- Airframe hours: 5473
- Engines: TURBOMECA ARRIEL 2B1 848 horsepower turbo shaft
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Positioning, Part 91
- Operator: Mountain Air Helicopters Inc
- Registered owner: Mountain Air Helicopters Inc
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, February 5, 2012
- Departed: N/A, Poway, CA
- Destination: N/A, Poway, CA
- Flight plan: Unknown

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 63; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 16, 2011; seat: right; flight hours: 16,701 total, 2,181 in this make and model, 16,626 as pilot in command, 200 in the last 90 days, 115 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 310° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 48 °F
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observed at: NKS, 8 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 20120225004869A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120225004869A), Feb 25, 2012: Eurocopter AS 350 B3, El Cajon, CA, Substantial damage. On February 25, 2012 pilot [privacy data omitted] had a hard landing while piloting helicopter N118MB while working for mountain air helicopters on the san…

## Docket (1 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 27, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=82971. 1.3 MB in all.

- Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40364656&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF

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.

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