Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Selfridge Air National Guard B Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Mount Clemens, Michigan 48045
Saturday, August 2, 2008 17:35 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The operator reported that the helicopter had landed on the landing platform when, after shutdown, it was discovered that the helicopter was positioned too far aft on the platform. The pilot then restarted the helicopter and lifted off to reposition the helicopter on the platform. During this second approach to the platform, the pilot removed his hand from the collective control to turn off an audio radio. When the pilot returned his hand to the collective, he inadvertently lowered the collective and the helicopter descended and struck the ground.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's unintentional lowering of the collective control during approach to land, resulting in a hard landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/2/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1735 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Mount Clemens |
| Event State | MICHIGAN |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 48045 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | -- |
| Event Location Longitude | -- |
| Event Location Airport | Selfridge Air National Guard B |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | MTC |
| 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 | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1700 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MTC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 580 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -- |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 330 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 12 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 25138 |
| NTSB Notification Source | NTSB Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Aug 6 2008 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 26 2009 5:15PM |
| User who most recently changed record | brajo |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Detroit FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N204TU |
| NTSB Number | CHI08TA239 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Public Use |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | EUROCOPTER |
| Aircraft Model | AS-350-B3 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 4413 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 5224 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 10 2008 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 95 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Dept. of Homeland Security |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Washington |
| Aircraft Owner State | DC |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | -- |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | US Customs and Border Protection |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Mount Clemons |
| Operator State | MI |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| 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) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | PHN |
| Departure City | PORT HURON |
| Departure State | MI |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1643 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | MTC |
| Destination City | MOUNT CLEMENS |
| Destination State | MI |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 26 2009 5:16PM |
| User who most recently changed record | brajo |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |