Accident Details
On January 11, 2019, at approximately 1145 central standard time, an Airbus Helicopters AS350B2 helicopter, registration N346AE, sustained substantial damage during a dynamic rollover while landing at Ponca City Regional Airport (PNC), Ponca City, Oklahoma. The helicopter was operated by Air Evac EMS, Inc. under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a positioning flight. The airline transport pilot and a helicopter air ambulance crewmember were on board and were not injured.
Flight Sequence
The flight originated from Ponca City Hospital about 1141. The pilot was repositioning the helicopter due to incoming inclement weather. Weather conditions at the time included light rain and a temperature of about 38°F. The pilot contacted the company Operations Control Center (OCC), and both he and OCC staff agreed that the flight could be conducted within company safety requirements. Day instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight operated on a company visual flight rules flight plan.
During the flight, approximately halfway, the front windshields began fogging, and the pilot increased the demister. Upon reaching the destination, the pilot hovered near the company hangar, by which time the windshields had completely fogged over. The passenger warned the pilot that he was getting close to the hangar, which was on the helicopter's left side. The pilot noted that he was looking out of the left chin bubble windshield while attempting to move the helicopter laterally to the right. He felt he was high enough off the ground to move the helicopter several feet to the right, but the right skid was too low and contacted the ground, resulting in a dynamic rollover.
Damage
Examination of the helicopter revealed substantial damage to the rotor blades, fuselage, and tail boom.