On February 20, 2003, approximately 1600 central standard time, an Aerospatiale AS-350-B3 single-engine helicopter, N439AE, sustained substantial damage when it impacted the terrain during a hard landing near Clyde, Texas. The instrument rated commercial pilot and a flight nurse were not injured, and a flight paramedic sustained minor injuries. The helicopter was owned by Enchantment Aviation, Inc., of Fairacres, New Mexico, and doing business as Southwest Air Ambulance, of Las Cruces, New Mexico. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 repositioning flight for which a company visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed. The flight originated from the Abilene Regional Airport (ABI), Abilene, at 1556, and was destined to the Eastland Hospital helipad, Eastland, Texas, to pick up a patient for transfer.

On February 27, 2003, at 0818 eastern standard time, an Aerospatiale Concorde, French registration F-BVFA, operated by Air France Airlines as flight 002, was found to be substantially damaged when it landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport, Jamaica, New York. There were no injuries to the 3 flight crew members, 3 flight attendants, and 39 passengers. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at JFK. An instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the flight which departed from Charles de Gaulle Airport, Paris, France, and was conducted under 14 CFR Part 129.

On December 2, 2002, at approximately 1125 mountain standard time, an Aerospatiale AS-350BA, N20840, operated by Crew Concepts Inc., was substantially damaged following an autorotation and subsequent landing rollover 1 mile east of Monticello, Utah. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant on board, received minor injuries. The external load operation was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 133. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the local geophysical flight that originated approximately 5 minutes prior to the accident.

On November 10, 2002, about 1155 hours mountain standard time, an Aerospatiale AS350B, N909WA, collided with a transmission line and impacted the terrain near Kingman, Arizona. The pilot was operating the helicopter under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91. Two passengers sustained minor injuries and the pilot was not injured. The helicopter sustained substantial damage. The local flight departed Kingman airport about 15 minutes earlier that day to shoot an aerial photographic sequence. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.

The pilot reported that he was filming a motor home for the "Ripley's Believe It or Not" television series. The helicopter was crabbing sideways, paralleling highway 66 as it impacted the transmission line. Both he and another crewmember had noticed the transmission line just before the impact. By then one rotor blade had struck, sending the helicopter into a descent. There were no mechanical or weather issues.

On September 11, 2002, at 1740 mountain standard time, an Aerospatiale AS350BA, N357NT, experienced a hydraulic failure during cruise and made a hard precautionary landing at the Grand Canyon West Airport (1G4), Peach Springs, Arizona. The helicopter was operated by HELI USA Airways, Inc., as a tour flight under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 135. The helicopter sustained substantial damage during the landing sequence. The pilot and five passengers were not injured. The sixth passenger sustained minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the tour flight over the Grand Canyon. A company visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan had been filed. The flight departed the Las Vegas International Airport (LAS), Las Vegas, Nevada about 1700. The flight was scheduled to terminate at LAS.

According to the operator, the flight was returning to LAS when a "complete" hydraulic failure was experienced. The pilot was in the vicinity of 1G4 and made the decision to make a precautionary landing at the airport. The helicopter landed hard and the main rotor blades cut off the tail boom.

According to the pilot's written statement, he had planned on conducting a run-on landing; however, during the approach he noted the airspeed had dropped below 40 knots. The helicopter was starting to spin, so the pilot "let off" the throttle and landed hard in soft dirt. The rear right skid heel dug into the soft dirt, and the tail boom was cutoff. The helicopter bounced into the air, and made two complete revolutions before coming to rest 180 degrees from it's original direction of travel.

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On July 30, 2002, at 1843 mountain daylight time, an Aerospatiale SA315B, N3978Y, registered to Roberts Aircraft Co., Granite Canyon, Wyoming, and operated by Geo-Seis Helicopters, Inc., Fort Collins, Colorado, was destroyed when it struck terrain while maneuvering 6 miles southeast of Estes Park, Colorado. The commercial pilot, the sole occupant aboard, was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and no flight plan had been filed. The flight originated from a staging area near Estes Park approximately 1840.

The helicopter collided with terrain during a demonstrated hydraulic servo-control system failure. The check airman brought the helicopter to a hover with hydraulics off. The check airman experienced a gust of wind which pitched and yawed the helicopter onto the right side of the fuselage. A Review of the Eurocopter training syllabus for the AS 350 B1/B2, states in simulated hydraulic servo-control system failures, the "HYD TEST" button should be used when conducting this procedure; and discussion and/or demonstration should be performed in cruise flight at approximately 90 knots. The Gainesville 1900 weather observation reported visibility 10 statue miles, wind direction 310 degrees, wind speed 17 knots, gust 23 knots.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

The check airman’s failure to follow prescribed procedures that resulted in the lost of control and subsequent in-flight collision with the terrain. A factor was gusting wind conditions.

According to the pilot, he was 100 feet in the air, at 40 knots, when he heard a bang in the tail section of the helicopter and thought he felt something break loose on the helicopter. There was an immediate loss of power to the main rotor system. The pilot attempted to flare the helicopter as it went into the trees. The helicopter impacted trees at approximately 30 knots, sustaining substantial damage. Examination of the helicopter revealed that the short shaft connecting the engine to the main gear box separated just aft of the connecting flange. Examination of the mounting hardware revealed that the connecting bolts had not been safety wired at the time of the accident. Examination of the helicopters maintenance records and an interview with the helicopter mechanic found that the helicopter had undergone a 400 hour inspection about two days prior to the accident or 10 hours of operation. The mechanic confirmed that he had removed and reinstalled the short shaft prior to the accident but could not recall if he had safety wired the connecting bolts as called for in the helicopters maintenance manual.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

Failure of the engine to main transmission drive shaft due to improper installation by company maintenance personnel. A factor were the trees.

The commercial certificated pilot was transporting a radio techinian to a remote radio repeater site in a helicopter. The area near the repeater site was snow covered. During the landing, one main rotor blade on the accident helicopter struck a radio antenna. The pilot was not aware of any collision with the antenna at the time of the landing, but discovered damage to a main rotor blade later in the day. The damaged rotor blade was removed and a replacement blade installed. The damaged rotor blade was returned to the manufacturer in France for repair.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate distance from a radio antenna during landing. A factor was the presence of an antenna.

B)   AGUSTA HELICOPTER CRASHES- NTSB ACCIDENT SUMMARIES