Falcon Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mesa, Arizona 85201
Thursday, May 11, 2000 13:34 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The flight instructor was giving flight instruction to a new-hire pilot in preparation for his 14 CFR Part 135 check ride. Another new-hire pilot was seated in the back to observe the training. The pilot trainee was performing a hydraulics-off, run-on landing. As the student approached the touchdown point the instructor reminded him to keep his airspeed up. He reported that just prior to touchdown, the aircraft controls became very stiff. At that point, the flight instructor directed the pilot trainee to re-engage the hydraulics isolation switch on the collective control. The student re-engaged the hydraulics but reported that the controls remained stiff and he was having difficulty applying forward cyclic. As the instructor got on the controls it started a slow turn to the left. As the instructor attempted to counteract the turn rate increased. The helicopter impacted the ground in a left turn with rear lateral movement. The landing gear skids collapsed.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the instructor pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/11/2000
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1334
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City MESA
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85201
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport FALCON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID FFZ
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1392
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1355 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID FFZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 1392
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 11060
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date May 11 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Nov 28 2001 7:25AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N851HW
NTSB Number LAX00LA195
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Eurocopter
Aircraft Model AS350B2
Aircraft Series Identifier AS350B2
Aircraft Serial Number 2622
Certified Max Gross Weight 4300
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Apr 15 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 23
Airframe Hours 4595
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AMERICAN EUROCOPTER CORP.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2701 FORUM DR.
Aircraft Owner City GRAND PRARIE
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 75052
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name ROCKY MOUNTAIN HELICOPTERS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 1337
Operator City PROVO
Operator State UT
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 84603
Operator Code R7MA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code FFZ
Departure City
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Feb 2 2009 1:35PM
User who most recently changed record johb
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight Yes
Medical Flight --