Aerospatiale AS-350D N3598F

Summary

On 21 July 1990 at about 12:40 local time, a Aerospatiale AS-350D registered N3598F, operated by Petroleum Helicopters, Inc., was involved in an accident near Berwick, Louisiana, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 July 1990 at 12:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Berwick, Louisiana, United States

Nearest airport

Private (NONE)

Coordinates

29.7002, -91.2307

Aircraft

Aerospatiale AS-350D

Registration

N3598F

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Petroleum Helicopters, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW90LA143

Nobody was injured.

PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO SEE AND AVOID OBSTACLES IN THE LANDING ZONE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE LANDING ZONE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

DURING POSITIONING WITHIN A LANDING ZONE THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK TELEPHONE LINES WHILE HOVERING AT ABOUT THREE FEET. THE PILOT SAW THE LINES IMMEDIATELY BEFORE IMPACT, BUT WAS UNABLE TO AVOID THEM. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK AND SEVERED THE LINES WHICH THEN BECAME ENTANGLED WITH ONE TAIL ROTOR BLADE. THE BLADE SUBSEQUENTLY SEPARATED AND THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX AND A PORTION OF THE TAIL BOOM CAME OFF THE AIRCRAFT SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE AIRCRAFT THEN LANDED HARD. THE LANDING ZONE WAS NOT ONE NORMALLY SERVICED BY THE OPERATOR AND THE PILOT HAD NEVER LANDED THERE BEFORE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.