Eurocopter AS350B3 N353DL

Summary

On 24 March 2013 at about 19:40 local time, a Eurocopter AS350B3 registered N353DL, operated by Soloy Helicopters, was involved in an accident near Stevens Village, Alaska, United States. One person was 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

24 March 2013 at 19:40

Classification

Accident

Location

Stevens Village, Alaska, United States

Coordinates

66.1742, -149.1203

Aircraft

Eurocopter AS350B3

Registration

N353DL

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Soloy Helicopters

Operating rule

Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Stevens Village → Stevens Village

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ANC13CA035

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s inadvertent cyclic control input after landing, which resulted in the main rotor blades striking the ground.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The helicopter pilot was supporting a seismic drilling operation at a remote drill site. He had just completed moving one of the seismic drills via long line and had landed the high-skid, turbine-powered helicopter in a clear area to wait for the next move. After landing, before reducing the power to flight idle and locking the flight controls, the pilot opened the right-side door, returned his right hand to the cyclic, and leaned out to ensure the tail rotor was clear of obstacles. While looking rearward, the pilot inadvertently moved the cyclic to the right, and the helicopter rolled up on the right skid. He immediately applied left cyclic, but the main rotor blades struck the snow. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the rotor system, tail boom, and fuselage. The pilot indicated there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot noted that the accident might have been avoided if he had used the collective lock before engaging in activities outside the cockpit.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.