Summary
On September 08, 2007, a Eurocopter AS-350B2 (N505RA) was involved in an incident near Greenville, SC. All 3 people aboard were uninjured. The aircraft sustained substantial damage.
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of this incident to be: The pilot's failure to maintain a proper descent rate during a precautionary landing, which resulted in a settling with power condition and a subsequent hard landing.
The AS-350B2 helicopter was refueled, and the pilot departed on a repositioning flight. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot noticed that the key for the fuel tank cap was not in the cockpit, and he elected to make a precautionary landing to a soccer field, to check the fuel cap. During the landing approach, the helicopter began to settle, it subsequently landed hard, bounced, and rolled over. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions and stated he thought the helicopter entered into a settling with power condition. Calm winds were reported at an airport located about 4 miles east of the accident site, about the time of the accident; however, the pilot reported he experienced tailwind gusts during the approach.
This incident is documented in NTSB report NYC07CA220. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N505RA.
Accident Details
Probable Cause and Findings
The pilot's failure to maintain a proper descent rate during a precautionary landing, which resulted in a settling with power condition and a subsequent hard landing.
Aircraft Information
Registered Owner (Historical)
Analysis
The AS-350B2 helicopter was refueled, and the pilot departed on a repositioning flight. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot noticed that the key for the fuel tank cap was not in the cockpit, and he elected to make a precautionary landing to a soccer field, to check the fuel cap. During the landing approach, the helicopter began to settle, it subsequently landed hard, bounced, and rolled over. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions and stated he thought the helicopter entered into a settling with power condition. Calm winds were reported at an airport located about 4 miles east of the accident site, about the time of the accident; however, the pilot reported he experienced tailwind gusts during the approach.
Data Source
Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# NYC07CA220