Eurocopter AS-350 N211PD

Summary

On 3 August 1999 at about 15:31 local time, a Eurocopter AS-350 registered N211PD was involved in an accident near Islip, New York, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 August 1999 at 15:31

Classification

Accident

Location

Islip, New York, United States

Nearest airport

Long Island MacArthur (ISP)

Coordinates

40.8005, -73.1207

Aircraft

Eurocopter AS-350

Registration

N211PD

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

IAD99GA056

2 people had minor injuries.

The pilot's loss of control during hydraulics-off hovering flight and the instructor's inadequate supervision of the maneuver. A factor was the tailwind.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot was completing transition training in the helicopter with a flight instructor. The pilot initiated a simulated hydraulics failure out of sequence with the flight-training guide and flew the helicopter to the ground without incident. With hydraulics still disabled, the pilot was instructed to hover-taxi approximately 100 feet, perform a left pedal turn, and taxi back. The pilot successfully hovered forward; however, during the turn to hover back to the start point, the pilot could not maintain control of the helicopter. The instructor attempted recovery, but the helicopter rolled and the main rotor blades struck terrain. Orientation of the helicopter following the turn resulted in a 14-knot tailwind. Examination of the wreckage revealed no pre-impact anomalies. Testing of the hydraulic servos revealed high fluid flow rates, but no operational deficiencies. Approximately 1 year after the accident, the helicopter manufacturer removed in ground-effect maneuvers with the hydraulics off from their flight-training guide.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.