Eurocopter AS350B3 N814CE

Summary

On 21 September 2005 at about 17:15 local time, a Eurocopter AS350B3 registered N814CE, operated by Southern California Edison, was involved in an accident near Running Springs, California, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

21 September 2005 at 17:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Running Springs, California, United States

Coordinates

34.2197, -117.0525

Aircraft

Eurocopter AS350B3

Registration

N814CE

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Southern California Edison

Operating rule

Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load

Purpose of flight

External Load

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Running Springs → Running Springs

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX05LA308

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain an adequate clearance from trees while performing long line external lift operations.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The helicopter was performing external load operations in the vicinity of tall trees when the main rotor impacted a tree and the helicopter descended nose first into the ground. At the time of rotor impact with the trees, the Vehicle Engine Monitoring Display (VEMD) recorded a high torque measurement (146 percent) and a low engine drive speed measurement (184 rpm), followed by a low torque (5.7 percent) and a high engine speed (511 rpm) and temperature (999C). As a result of the main rotor impact with trees the engine's torque twisted apart the engine to transmission drive shaft causing an engine over speed and over temperature condition. The operator was utilizing a 78.8-foot-long line for the external load operations, which in some cases put the main rotor of the helicopter below the treetops of the 80- to 90-foot trees. Examination of the helicopter revealed no evidence of a preimpact malfunction or failure of the control system or power plant.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.