No fatalities

30 Jul 2011: EUROCOPTER AS 350 B3 — HELICORP INC — Humacao, PR

Humacao, PR, United States

On 30 Jul 2011, an EUROCOPTER AS 350 B3 operated by HELICORP INC was involved in an aviation accident near Humacao, PR. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a building during landing. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.

SourcesNTSBPrimary reportUpdated 1778583330Data APIEditorial standards

A pilot reported that during final approach, the tail rotor struck a building while maneuvering to avoid flying debris. The helicopter landed safely with substantial damage to the tail rotor and other components.

Incident Details

According to the pilot, the event occurred while the helicopter was on final approach. The pilot was attempting to avoid flying debris when the tail rotor made contact with the corner of a building. Following the impact, the pilot immediately lowered the collective and executed a landing. The landing was completed without further incident.

The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies during the approach to landing.

Damage Assessment

An examination of the helicopter by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed substantial damage. The affected components included the tail rotor, the tail rotor gearbox, the right horizontal stabilizer, and the tail boom.

Operational Context

The pilot's actions were in response to the presence of flying debris in the vicinity. The helicopter was on a standard approach path when the building was encountered. No further details about the location or environment were provided.

Contributing factors

Causes

Pilot

Other contributing factors

Contributed to outcome