N92785 – Sud Aviation SE 3130 ALOUETTE II – 2020-01-04 NTSB Accident Report

On January 04, 2020, a Sud Aviation SE 3130 ALOUETTE II (N92785) was involved in an incident near Mokelumne Hills, CA. All 1 person 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 adequate clearance from terrain during a hover-taxi, which resulted in the helicopter's skid contacting grass and a subsequent dynamic roll-over.

The pilot reported that after about 20 minutes of flight, he returned to a private runway. The pilot descended to the runway and he began a hover-taxi to the other end. While hovering, the right skid made contact with the grass adjacent to the runway. The helicopter rolled over on its right ride, damaging the main rotor blades. The pilot reported that he thought that the accident could have been prevented if he had a faster and quicker reaction time.

The pilot reported that there were no pre-accident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.

This incident is documented in NTSB report WPR20CA059. AviatorDB cross-references NTSB investigation data with FAA registry records to provide comprehensive safety information for aircraft N92785.