On June 13, 2003, an Eurocopter France AS 350 B2 (registration N6087C) was involved in an aviation accident near Riverside, CA. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The flying pilot's failure to align the helicopter during a simulated emergency landing, which resulted in a hard landing and structural damage to the helicopter. A factor associated with the accident was the check pilot's failure to initiate remedial action. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a proficiency check, a helicopter sustained structural damage after a hard landing during a simulated stuck anti-torque pedal procedure. The flying pilot attempted to land with significant yaw, and the check pilot did not intervene.
Incident Overview
A public use helicopter operator reported that the flight's purpose was for the flying pilot to undergo an annual proficiency check. During a simulated emergency landing procedure involving a "stuck" anti-torque pedal, the flying pilot attempted to land the helicopter on a hard-surfaced runway while the aircraft still exhibited significant yaw.
Sequence of Events
The helicopter touched down twice during the landing attempt. On the second touchdown, the helicopter landed hard, resulting in structural damage to the fuselage and drive train components. Both pilots held flight instructor and airline transport certificates. The check pilot did not intercede or apply remedial action while the flying pilot was attempting to land with the simulated stuck pedal.