Eurocopter AS-350B2 N505RA

Summary

On 8 September 2007 at about 19:50 local time, a Eurocopter AS-350B2 registered N505RA, operated by Omniflight Helicopters Inc., was involved in an accident near Greenville, South Carolina, United States. 3 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

8 September 2007 at 19:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Greenville, South Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Greenville (GMU)

Coordinates

34.8536, -82.4197

Aircraft

Eurocopter AS-350B2

Registration

N505RA

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Omniflight Helicopters Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Greenville → Blairsville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC07CA220

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain a proper descent rate during a precautionary landing, which resulted in a settling with power condition and a subsequent hard landing.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The AS-350B2 helicopter was refueled, and the pilot departed on a repositioning flight. Shortly after takeoff, the pilot noticed that the key for the fuel tank cap was not in the cockpit, and he elected to make a precautionary landing to a soccer field, to check the fuel cap. During the landing approach, the helicopter began to settle, it subsequently landed hard, bounced, and rolled over. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions and stated he thought the helicopter entered into a settling with power condition.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.