Aerospatiale AS-350BA N20840

Summary

On 2 December 2002 at about 18:25 local time, a Aerospatiale AS-350BA registered N20840, operated by Crew Concepts Inc, was involved in an accident near Monticello, Utah, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 December 2002 at 18:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Monticello, Utah, United States

Coordinates

37.9372, -109.3278

Aircraft

Aerospatiale AS-350BA

Registration

N20840

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Crew Concepts Inc

Operating rule

Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Monticello → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN03LA020

1 person had minor injuries.

the pilot's failure to maintain rotor rpm. A related factor was the presence of an object in the path during the touchdown.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

According to the pilot, he had moved approximately 80 bags of seismic sensor cable earlier that morning with no problems. At approximately 1120, the pilot stopped operations to change lines. He proceeded to pick up five bags and was en route to the drop off point. During the approach to the north, the pilot "noticed that the Nr (rotor rpm) was high at roughly 400 rpm as [he] turned to the west." As the pilot slowed down, he added collective to reduce the rotor speed. The rotor rpm began to slow, at which point the pilot lowered the collective and applied forward cyclic to maintain forward airspeed. The rotor speed continued to decrease and the "low rotor speed warning horn" sounded. The pilot lowered the collective and flared, at which point the bags contacted the ground. The pilot then "noticed that the Nr was low" at approximately 320 rpm. The pilot "zeroed the airspeed, pumped the collective once[,] trying to slow the rate of decent and pulled up on the collective," just before impacting the ground. The helicopter settled onto the load beneath it, and subsequently rolled over on its right side causing substantial damage. An examination of the helicopter revealed no anomalies.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.