American Eurocopter AS350B3 N1CR

Summary

On 23 October 2013 at about 20:00 local time, a American Eurocopter AS350B3 registered N1CR, operated by Friedkin Companies Inc, was involved in an accident near Eagle Pass, Texas, 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

23 October 2013 at 20:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Eagle Pass, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Comanche Ranch (5TE0)

Coordinates

28.6206, -100.1564

Aircraft

American Eurocopter AS350B3

Registration

N1CR

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2012

Operator

Friedkin Companies Inc

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Eagle Pass → Eagle Pass

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN14CA016

Nobody was injured.

The abnormal contact of the helicopter's skids with the landing surface, which resulted in a rollover.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The instructor pilot provided instruction to the private pilot and conducted practice autorotation landings. The instructor pilot demonstrated an autorotation and during the landing the helicopter slid on the skids for about 10-15 feet before the skids dug into the soft landing surface. The helicopter began to pitch nose down so both pilots applied aft cyclic and up collective. The helicopter continued to pitch nose down when the main rotor impacted the ground, which resulted in the helicopter rolling on its right side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor blades, fuselage, and tail boom. The instructor pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.