# NTSB WPR22LA291: Airbus Helicopters AS350B3, N833SB, Chino, CA, August 4, 2022 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 3, 2022, 18:45 local (Aug 4, 2022, 01:45 UTC) - Place: Chino, CA - Coordinates: 34.010715, -117.68767 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=34.0107&lon=-117.6877&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Enroute: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA-FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 105666 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR22LA291 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105666/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105666 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA291 ## Probable cause The subsequent delamination of the main rotor blades as a result of an unidentified main rotor blade impact with vegetation during a previous flight by another pilot. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Main rotor system: main rotor blade system](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046210): Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor · Damaged/degraded (probable cause); cases with it: [Airbus Helicopters AS350B3, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046210/cases.md?model=1145005), [All aircraft, 60 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046210/cases.md) - [Object/animal/substance: tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020): Environmental issues › Physical environment · Effect on equipment; cases with it: [Airbus Helicopters AS350B3, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md?model=1145005), [All aircraft, 933 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Enroute: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) (defining event); cases with it: [Airbus Helicopters AS350B3, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=1145005), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md) - [Enroute: Emergency descent initiated](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/130); cases with it: [Airbus Helicopters AS350B3, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/130/sequence.md?model=1145005), [All aircraft, 42 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/130/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot of the helicopter reported that, he noticed a slight bounce during flight that felt like an out of balance main rotor blade. The pilot diverted to a nearby airport as the helicopter began to shake aggressively with a whipping noise hear. During the approach, the shaking worsened, and the pilot elected to perform a run-on landing at the airport. During the following inspection, it was revealed that the main rotor blades were substantially damaged due to delamination. There was also evidence of impact marks near the tip blades that was consistent with contact with vegetation. The operator reported that, 2 days before the accident flight, the blades may have impacted vegetation during an “off-site” landing. According to that pilot, while the front left seat passenger was exiting the helicopter, she inadvertently sat down on the left side collective, pushing it to the full-down position. The helicopter rolled backwards suddenly, resulting in the heels of the skids to contact the ground. The pilot corrected the helicopter’s attitude and checked that the collective’s movement was normal. The helicopter was shut down shortly after and tail and main rotor blades were inspected by the pilot who reported that he didn’t see any evidence of impact at that time. Maintenance personnel inspected the helicopter following the flight and no statements or writeup was found during the investigation. The three pilots that flew the helicopter after the unidentified impact all reported that they felt a slight bounce in the helicopter at speeds of approximately 115 knots and thought that it was a slight out of balance/track rotor and was not that significant. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N833SB](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N833SB), registered now, S/N 8435, built 2017 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AIRBUS HELICOPTERS INC AS350B3 - Registry model: [Airbus Helicopters AS350B3](https://openairdocs.org/model/airbus-helicopters-as350b3) (registry code 1145005) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Safran ARRIEL-2D](https://openairdocs.org/engine/safran-arriel-2d) (registry code 59997, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 8435 - Year built: 2017 - Airframe hours: 2054 - Engines: Safran Arriel 2D turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Public aircraft, Public use - Operator: San Bernardino County Sheriffs Dept - Registered owner: San Bernardino County Sheriffs Dept - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 22, 2022, 54 hours before - Departed: SBD, San Bernardino, CA - Destination: Same as departure - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: KCNO, N/A - Equipment: ADS-B ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 45; injuries: none; flight instructor, commercial; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review February 12, 2021; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 3,822 total, 3,400 in this make and model, 3,740 as pilot in command, 136 in the last 90 days, 45 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours - Other flight crew; age 34; injuries: none; seat: left; restraint: 4-point ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: calm - Lowest ceiling: none - Observed at: CNO ## 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 20220803008819A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220803008819A), Aug 3, 2022: Airbus Helicopters Inc AS350B3, Chino, CA, Substantial damage. During a routine flight that departed san bernardino airport and was enroute to Chino hills the pilot began to feel a vibration that became progressively more… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 8, 2022, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105666. 50.8 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14585587&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=signed%20NTSB%206120%20with%20pilot%20statements_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Statement from peppler (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 218 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14585329&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Statement%20from%20Peppler_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Statement from kowalski (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 248 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14584757&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Statement%20from%20Kowalski_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Google earth view of the accident site (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 45.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14584629&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=GE%20Accident%20Site-Rel.pdf - Sbcsd safety report 8-1-2022 (item 5, PDF, 5 pages, 491 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14673417&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=080122%20Kowalski%20Safety%20Report%2040K3-Rel.pdf - Photo array-courtesy of the sbcsd (item 6, PDF, 8 pages, 1.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14677073&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array%20(Courtesy%20of%20the%20SBCSD)-Rel.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.