Aerospatiale AS-350BII CFLHA

Summary

On 7 February 2003 at about 16:09 local time, a Aerospatiale AS-350BII registered CFLHA was involved in an accident near Vernal, Utah, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

7 February 2003 at 16:09

Classification

Accident

Location

Vernal, Utah, United States

Coordinates

39.7678, -109.5589

Aircraft

Aerospatiale AS-350BII

Registration

CFLHA

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Vernal → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN03LA041

2 people were seriously injured.

The pilot's inadequate planning resulting in his inattentiveness of the attached longline. Contributing factors were the entanglement of the longline in the tail rotor, failure of the tail rotor drive shaft, and subsequent inability of the pilot to control the aircraft.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot performed a normal helicopter departure with a longline attached. He reported he forgot that the longline was attached and he did a normal takeoff. He felt a jerk and heard a bang, and the helicopter began to rotate. Postimpact examination of the tail rotor assembly reveled that the longline was entangled in its shaft. Additionally, the tail rotor drive shaft was found separated.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.