San Carlos Apache Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Globe, Arizona 85542
Wednesday, November 4, 2009 19:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During a night vision goggle (NVG) training flight, the flight instructor initiated a simulated hydraulic failure on the downwind leg for landing. The flight instructor stated that during this maneuver, the pilot receiving instruction did not properly adjust the trim and did not maintain sufficient air speed. The helicopter slowed to about 20 knots, which was half the speed the flight instructor expected. When the flight instructor heard what he believed to be the low rotor horn and heard the pilot exclaim “uh-oh,” the flight instructor tried to regain control of the helicopter; however, the helicopter impacted the ground hard. Interviews with the pilot and instructor established that both were manipulating the controls after the initial loss of control and that no positive exchange of control had occurred. The pilot reported that the last time he had performed a simulated hydraulic failure was almost 1 year before the accident and that he had never performed such a procedure or had one demonstrated while operating with NVGs. The pilot and instructor reported no in-flight abnormalities with the helicopter before the initiation of the simulated hydraulic failure, and postaccident examination of the hydraulic system components revealed no abnormalities that would have precluded normal operation.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot receiving instruction’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed or control of the helicopter during a simulated hydraulic failure maneuver, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s delayed remedial actions and the lack of a positive exchange of control.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/4/2009
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1930
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Globe
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85542
Event Date Year 2009
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 332108N
Event Location Longitude 1104014W
Event Location Airport San Carlos Apache Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID P13
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 3261
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1937 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 260
Weather Observation Facility ID IWA
Elevation of weather observation facility 1382
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 49
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Night
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) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 50
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.02
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report METAR KIWA 050237Z AUTO 05003KT 10SM CLR 28/01 A30
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 30006
NTSB Notification Source NTSB Communications Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 7 2012 5:08PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N617LH
NTSB Number WPR10LA046
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name EUROCOPTER
Aircraft Model AS350BA
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 2140
Certified Max Gross Weight 4630
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 AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Oct 31 2009 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 4559
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name CFS AIR LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 44 OLD RIDGEBURY RD
Aircraft Owner City DANBURY
Aircraft Owner State CT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 06810-5107
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Omni Flight Helicopters Inc
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 6229 S. Sossaman Road
Operator City Mesa
Operator State AZ
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 85212
Operator Code --
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 No
Departure Airport Code IWA
Departure City Mesa
Departure State AZ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1845
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code P13
Destination City Globe
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 7 2012 5:08PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location 09
Runway Length 6500
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --