Airbus AS 350 B2 N71HD
5 December 2019 · Los Angeles, California, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 5 December 2019 at about 03:15 local time, a Airbus AS 350 B2 registered N71HD, operated by Helinet Aviation Services Llc, was involved in an incident near Los Angeles, California, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was slightly damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 03:15
- Classification
- Incident
- Location
- Los Angeles, California, United States
- Coordinates
- 33.9425, -118.4081
- Aircraft
- Airbus AS 350 B2
- Registration
- N71HD
- Category
- Helicopter
- Year built
- 2004
- Operator
- Helinet Aviation Services Llc
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Aerial Observation
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Burbank → Los Angeles
- Aircraft damage
- Minor
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Night
- NTSB number
- DCA20IA034
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Probable cause
an inflight collision with a hard object of polycarbonate construction, with size and features consistent with that of a small UAS (drone).
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The helicopter was operating under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 as an electronic news gathering flight, under visual flight rules, within Class G airspace. The pilot heard a noise which he first thought might be a bird strike, and made a precautionary landing. Post flight examination led the pilot and operator to believe they collided with a drone. A search by ground and electronic methods did not locate a drone. Laboratory examinations indicated that the shape and dimensions of the damage to the horizontal stabilizer were consistent with the configuration and dimensions of many popular small drones. A small mark inside the larger round dent was consistent with the propeller shaft diameter of common small drones. Infrared examination revealed material transfer of polycarbonate polymer, which is a commonly used construction material of small drones. Although many items which could come in contact with the helicopter as ground FOD, are manufactured of polycarbonate (e.g. safety glasses, light lenses), the shape and configuration of the indentations and scuffs were very consistent with a small drone. The reported collision occurred in Class G airspace, but higher than the 14 CFR Part 107 regulatory maximum of 400 feet agl for small drones. A provision in Part 107 allows for operations above 400 feet if the drone is within 400 feet laterally of a tall structure. Downtown Los Angeles was approximately ΒΌ mile away from the collision site, therefore, although the altitude and location are not authorized for drones without a waiver, it is not inconceivable that a drone operator could have been operating near the tall buildings, and deviated or exceeded the lateral requirements. Although no drone was located, preventing complete certainty, all the available evidence was consistent with a collision with a small UAS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Aircraft involved
| Aircraft | Registration | Operator | Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Airbus AS 350 B2 NO SERIES | N71HD | Helinet Aviation Services Llc | Minor |
| Unknown UNKNOWN | UNK | - | - |
Other Airbus AS-350 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 May 2015 | Airbus AS-350 | Hamilton, Montana, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 17 Jun 2014 | Airbus AS 350 BA FX1 | Wailuku, Hawaii, United States | Sunshine Helicopters Inc | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Aug 2019 | Wheeler EXPRESS SERIES 2000 | Camarillo, California, United States | N43FD Airplane LLC. | Fatal | 2 |
| 15 Feb 2019 | Cessna 402 | Montague, California, United States | Redding Aero Enterprises Inc | No injuries | - |
| 6 Aug 2019 | Boeing 737 | SFO International Airport, California, United States | United Air Lines Inc | No injuries | - |
| 25 Oct 2019 | Piper PA28R | Shelter Cove, California, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 14 Mar 2019 | North American T28 | Compton, California, United States | Tomorrows Aeronautical Museum | Fatal | 1 |
| 15 May 2019 | Grumman G164 | Pleasant Grove, California, United States | Moe's Crop Dusting Service Inc. | Fatal | 2 |