N234AH

Substantial
None

EUROCOPTER AS350BAS/N: 2489

Accident Details

Date
Sunday, March 8, 2009
NTSB Number
WPR09CA148
Location
Long Beach, CA
Event ID
20090310X20627
Coordinates
33.733333, -118.191665
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
1
Total Aboard
1

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's misjudged speed and altitude, which resulted in an undershoot of the landing zone.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N234AH
Make
EUROCOPTER
Serial Number
2489
Year Built
1991
Model / ICAO
AS350BA

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
ISLAND EXPRESS HELICOPTERS INC
Address
1175 QUEENS HWY
Status
Deregistered
City
LONG BEACH
State / Zip Code
CA 90802-6332
Country
United States

Analysis

The pilot said he thought that the approach to the helipad seemed and felt normal, but in retrospect was flat. A witness on a passing ship thought that the approach was flat and fast. He indicated that the helicopter was in a nose high attitude when the tail rotor hit the ground between rocks at the waterline and the edge of the pad. The pilot felt a jolt followed by a shutter. Because of the tail rotor damage, the helicopter yawed out of control to the left. It rotated 360 degrees as the pilot lowered the collective. Once completely on the ground, he pulled the fuel flow control lever (FFC) out of the flight gate, pulled the emergency fuel shutoff control, and powered everything down while applying the main rotor brake.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# WPR09CA148