Sud SE 3130 ALOUETTE II N92785

Summary

On 4 January 2020 at about 20:09 local time, a Sud SE 3130 ALOUETTE II registered N92785 was involved in an accident near Mokelumne Hills, California, 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

4 January 2020 at 20:09

Classification

Accident

Location

Mokelumne Hills, California, United States

Nearest airport

Private (PVT)

Coordinates

38.2956, -120.7208

Aircraft

Sud SE 3130 ALOUETTE II

Registration

N92785

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1958

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Mokelumne Hills → Mokelumne Hills

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR20CA059

Nobody was injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from terrain during a hover-taxi, which resulted in the helicopter's skid contacting grass and a subsequent dynamic roll-over.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, after about 20 minutes of flight in the helicopter, he returned to a private runway. The pilot descended the helicopter and began a hover-taxi from one end of the runway to the other. During the hover, the right skid contacted grass adjacent to the runway. The helicopter rolled over on its right ride, which resulted in substantial damage to the main rotor blades. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.