Aerospatiale AS350BA N6094S

Summary

On 24 August 1999 at about 22:20 local time, a Aerospatiale AS350BA registered N6094S was involved in an accident near Kahului, Hawaii, United States. 5 people were 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

24 August 1999 at 22:20

Classification

Accident

Location

Kahului, Hawaii, United States

Coordinates

20.8710, -156.4497

Aircraft

Aerospatiale AS350BA

Registration

N6094S

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Kahului → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX99LA282

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's initial misjudgment of the wind speed and his decision to continue a downwind landing approach when his speed and altitude profile was inadequate, and his failure to maintain main rotor rpm, resulting in settling with power and a hard landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot said he made a downwind approach to an open area at a remote ranch for noise abatement reasons. He stated that he misjudged the wind speed and found himself slower and lower than he originally planned, as he turned base to final, and encountered a power settling condition. The pilot attempted to apply left pedal to turn the helicopter back into the wind, but the helicopter continued the descent and landed hard. The rotor rpm horn came on just prior to contact with the ground.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.