ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 352730
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| Date: | Thursday 26 August 1999 |
| Time: | 13:33 LT |
| Type: |  Aerospatiale AS350B3 |
| Owner/operator: | American Eurocopter |
| Registration: | N5224R |
| MSN: | 2968 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1998 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 812 hours |
| Engine model: | Turbomeca ARRIEL 2B |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Long Beach, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Taxi |
| Nature: | Executive |
| Departure airport: | Van Nuys, CA (KVNY) |
| (KLGB) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot reported that a linesman directed him toward the center one of three transient parking helipads next to a small perimeter fence. All three helipads were empty. As he approached the pad, the pilot became concerned about obstructions and about exposing his tail rotor to a taxiway beyond his view. He performed a left pedal turn over the pad to bring the nose around to face the taxiway. He reported that the linesman made a 'hands-down motion' and walked away. The pilot assumed he was clear to touchdown. As he touched down, the tail rotor contacted the helipad's perimeter fence. The nose of the helicopter yawed left and the pilot performed a hovering autorotation. The tail rotor blades were destroyed and the tail boom was buckled. The distance from the center of the helipad parking space to the fence was measured at 23 feet. The distance from the main rotor mast to the end of the tail stinger on the AS350B3 is just over 23 feet. According to the parking space requirements outlined by FAA A/C 150/5390-2A, the fence was supposed to be no closer than 10 feet to any part of the helicopter. The fence was found to be within the tail rotor clearance area specified in the Advisory Circular. There was insufficient room for the helicopter to make a 180-degree turn, assuming it stayed on the center point of the parking space.
Probable Cause: The failure of the pilot to maintain clearance with the fence while landing. A factor was the failure of the helipad to meet the obstacle clearance design criteria specified in FAA Advisory Circular guidance.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB LAX99LA284
Location
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 08-Mar-2024 15:12 | ASN Update Bot | Added |
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