What happened
On August 2, 2008, at approximately 1735 EDT, a Eurocopter AS-350-B3, registration N204TU, was involved in a hard landing at the Selfridge Air National Guard Base near Mount Clemens, Michigan. The flight, operated by US Customs and Border Protection, began at 1643 from Saint Clair County International Airport in Port Huron, Michigan.
After completing a flight, the helicopter landed on a landing platform. Following engine shutdown, the crew realized the aircraft was positioned too far aft on the platform. To correct the position, the pilot restarted the engines and lifted off to perform a second approach to the platform. During this second approach, the pilot removed his hand from the collective control to turn off an audio radio. Upon returning his hand to the control, the pilot inadvertently lowered the collective, causing the aircraft to descend and strike the ground. The aircraft sustained substantial damage, and there were no injuries.
Flight conditions
The flight was conducted under visual meteorological conditions (VMC) with a visibility of 10 statute miles and winds from 330 degrees at 07 knots.