# NTSB WPR13LA334: Eurocopter AS 350 B2, N115SH, Las Vegas, NV, July 22, 2013 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: July 22, 2013, 07:15 local (14:15 UTC) - Place: Las Vegas, NV - Coordinates: 36.074722, -115.15139 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.0747&lon=-115.1514&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-hover: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report December 2, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 87529 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR13LA334 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/87529/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=87529 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13LA334 ## Probable cause The pilot receiving instruction's failure to maintain control of the helicopter in a hover, which resulted in a tail rotor ground strike. ## 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 B2, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=8680950), [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. - [Maneuvering-hover: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Eurocopter AS 350 B2, 11 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=8680950), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Maneuvering-hover: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Eurocopter AS 350 B2, 16 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=8680950), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The purpose of the flight was to provide the helicopter-rated pilot with "differences" training in a helicopter that is flown from the left seat instead of the standard right seat. The helicopter did not have dual controls, and the instructor was seated in a rear seat, observing over the student's shoulder. The instructor reported that the pilot over controlled the helicopter as it picked up to a hover, and the helicopter moved fore and aft with a slight yaw. The helicopter continued to move fore and aft and the yaw increased. The pilot receiving instruction reported that the nose yawed to the left, the helicopter started to "jump," and she lowered the collective to put the helicopter on the ground. The condition worsened, and she picked the helicopter up to a hover as instructed; however, she was unable to maintain control of the helicopter, and the tail rotor hit the ground. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation were reported. Because the helicopter did not have dual controls, the flight instructor was unable to take action to regain control. ## Factual narrative On July 22, 2013, about 0715 Pacific daylight time, a Eurocopter AS 350 B2 helicopter, N115SH, sustained substantial damage, when its tail rotor struck the ground, at the McCarran International Airport, Las Vegas, Nevada. The helicopter was being operated by Sundance Helicopters as a visual flight rules (VFR) local instructional flight, under the provisions of Title 14, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91. The flight instructor and pilot-rated student were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and company flight-following procedures were in effect. According to written statements provided to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) by both the instructor and pilot-rated student, dated July 22, the purpose of the flight was to transition the student to the accident helicopter which is flown from the left seat position as opposed to the standard right seat position. The accident helicopter did not have dual controls and the instructor was seated in a rear seat, observing over the student's shoulder. According to the instructor, the initial pickup to a hover was over controlled, and the helicopter moved fore and aft with a slight yaw. In the hover, the helicopter continued to move fore and aft and the yaw increased. He reported he felt the helicopter was bouncing from skid to skid and fore and aft. According to the pilot-rated student, as she picked the helicopter up to a hover, the nose yawed to the left, which she countered with right pedal. She reported that the helicopter started to "jump," and she lowered the collective to put the helicopter on the ground. The jumping worsened and the instructor told her to pick the helicopter up, which she did. She said the helicopter was uncontrollable and it hit the ground. She put the helicopter back on the ground, and shut it down. An examination by an FAA inspector, and photographs provided to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigator-in-charge (IIC) showed substantial damage to the helicopter's ventral fin, and tailrotor drive system. No preimpact mechanical malfunctions of failures were reported with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N115SH](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N115SH-2015-03-06), registration cancelled 2015-03-06, S/N 3141, built 1998 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: EUROCOPTER AS 350 B2 - Registry model: [Eurocopter AS 350 B2](https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-as-350-b2) (registry code 8680950) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Turbomeca ARRIEL-1SER](https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-1ser) (registry code 60030, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 3141 - Airframe hours: 20030 - Engines: TURBOMECA ARRIEL 1SER 681 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Instructional, Part 91 - Operator: Sundance Helicopters Inc, doing business as Sundance Helicopters - Registered owner: Sundance Helicopters Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, June 16, 2013 - Departed: KLAS, Las Vegas, NV - Destination: KLAS, Las Vegas, NV - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: KLAS, Las Vegas ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; injuries: none; commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 5, 2013; seat: left; flight hours: 3,135 total, 45 in this make and model, 3,055 as pilot in command, 144 in the last 90 days, 45 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours - Flight instructor; age 42; injuries: none; commercial, flight instructor; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review May 16, 2013; seat: rear; flight hours: 8,740 total, 6,456 in this make and model, 8,660 as pilot in command, 155 in the last 90 days, 33 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 64 °F - Altimeter: 29.86 inHg - Observed at: KLAS ## 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 20130722013009A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130722013009A), Jul 22, 2013: Eurocopter AS 350 B2, Las Vegas, NV, Substantial damage. At approximately 7:15 am local time on 7-22-2013, N115SH, an AS-350-B2 helicopter, with a company instructor and pilot aboard struck the tail rotor during a… ## Docket (4 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 21, 2013, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=87529. 1.7 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 657 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40403436&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Flight Instructor Statement (item 2, .PDF, 281 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40398851&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Flight%20Instructor%20Statement-Master.PDF - PIC Statement (item 3, .PDF, 653 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40398852&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=PIC%20Statement-Master.PDF - Witness Statement (item 4, .PDF, 111 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40398853&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Witness%20Statement-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. --- 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.