Eurocopter France SA330J N330KW

Summary

On 28 February 2007 at about 23:25 local time, a Eurocopter France SA330J registered N330KW, operated by Evergreen Helicopters International, Inc., was involved in an accident near Lakeview, Oregon, United States. 2 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

28 February 2007 at 23:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Lakeview, Oregon, United States

Nearest airport

Lakeview (KLKV)

Coordinates

42.1611, -120.3992

Aircraft

Eurocopter France SA330J

Registration

N330KW

Category

Helicopter

Engines

2

Operator

Evergreen Helicopters International, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lakeview → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA07LA068

Nobody was injured.

The dual student's failure to extend the landing gear during a simulated single-engine forced landing, and the flight instructor's failure to take remedial action to keep the aircraft from touching the runway surface without the landing gear extended.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During a simulated single-engine minimum ground run landing, the dual student forgot to extend the landing gear, and since the instructor did not notice the gear was still retracted, he did not take remedial action. Therefore, the helicopter touched down on its belly, driving the external load hook up into the airframe bulkhead structure in the area of the left hand transverse fuel tank. After he realized what had happened, the instructor pilot took control of the aircraft, lifted it off of the runway, lowered the landing gear, and set it back down on the wheels. They then shut the aircraft down and inspected for damage.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.