Aerospatiale AS-350-BA N22TV

Summary

On 9 January 2003 at about 21:00 local time, a Aerospatiale AS-350-BA registered N22TV was involved in an accident near Venice, Louisiana, United States. 5 people were on board and 4 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 January 2003 at 21:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Venice, Louisiana, United States

Coordinates

29.2500, -89.1750

Aircraft

Aerospatiale AS-350-BA

Registration

N22TV

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Main Pass 61A → Venice

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

FTW03LA081

4 people had minor injuries.

The loss of tail rotor drive as a result of baggage coming in contact with the tail rotor blades after the aft cargo door was not secured. A contributing factor was the passenger's failure to follow the procedures for properly securing the helicopter's doors and latches.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During the initial descent, at 800 feet agl, the pilot felt a shudder and heard a noise from the helicopter. One of the passengers reported he observed the right baggage door was open and flapping. The helicopter began to yaw to the left, then started to spin, and the pilot inititated an autorotation to the water. Subsequently, the helicopter impacted the water and came to rest partially submerged. The left side float deployed; however, the right side float was not activated. Prior to the accident flight and the engine operating, the pilot dropped off a passenger, another passenger loaded his baggage in the right aft cargo compartment and boarded the helicopter. According to the pilot, the passenger had received a safety briefing regarding the operation of the helicopter's doors and latches. Examination of the helicopter revealed the lower forward latch had been closed; however, it did not engage and secure the door to the striker plate and fiberglass door frame. The tail rotor blades and vertical fin exhibited scratch marks and residual white material that was consistent with foreign object debris (FOD). The one-piece tail rotor drive shaft was sheared just aft of the splined portion of the drive shaft. The failure of the right float was not determined.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.