- Date
- March 19, 2022, 17:04 local (Mar 20, 2022, 00:04 UTC)
- Place
- Azusa, CA
- Injuries
- 4 serious, 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N950SGEurocopter AS332L1
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-hover: Loss of visual reference
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- FAA report
- 20220319021609A
- Case key
- 104802
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 pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a tree after encountering brownout conditions and a loss of visual reference during the approach to land.
Findings · 4
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
The pilot of the helicopter stated that, while maneuvering around the area looking for a suitable landing site, a dirt turnout alongside a road was selected. A tree was noted on the edge of the turnout. An approach was initiated to the site and expected brownout was encountered. About 5 ft above ground, the pilot heard the crewmember in the back of the helicopter call out “hold.” The pilot arrested the descent and came to a hover. Within seconds the asphalt roadway reference was obscured by the brownout and he lost visual reference. He announced, “lost visual” and started to climb, which was his last recollection before regaining consciousness. The crewmember in the back of the helicopter reported that the helicopter approached the landing zone angled, to the south toward a tree. About 7 to 10 ft above the ground, he noticed that the helicopter was drifting forward, and he called out twice, “You are drifting forward, hold.” The helicopter continued to drift and subsequently, struck a tree and rolled onto its left side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and main rotor system. The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N950SG
- Reported as
- Eurocopter AS332L1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 9007
- Engines
- Safran Makila 1A1, 1,877 hp, turbo shaftSafran Makila 1A1, 1,877 hp, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- County Of Los Angeles
- Registered owner
- County Of Los Angeles
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- LGB · Long Beach, CA
- Destination
- Yermo, CA
- Airport
- N/A
- Equipment
- Onboard weather, Satellite tracking device, ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot
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 · 4
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 50
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 9, 2021
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 5,382 total · 1,243 in this make and model · 4,691 as pilot in command · 88 in the last 90 days · 16 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 46
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- January 26, 2022
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 2,686 total · 297.2 in this make and model · 2,235.1 as pilot in command · 72.4 in the last 90 days · 32 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Other flight crew
- Injuries
- Serious
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Role
- Other flight crew
- Injuries
- Minor
- Seat
- Rear
- Restraint
- 4-point
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 12 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 12,000 ft broken
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 30, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 7.7 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.