No fatalities

4 Jan 2020: Sud Aviation SE 3130 ALOUETTE II No Series — Mokelumne Hills, CA

Mokelumne Hills, CA, United States

On 4 Jan 2020, a Sud Aviation SE 3130 ALOUETTE II No Series was involved in an aviation accident near Mokelumne Hills, CA. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from terrain during a hover-taxi, which resulted in the helicopter's skid contacting grass and a subsequent dynamic roll-over. 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 helicopter rolled onto its right side after the right skid contacted grass adjacent to a private runway during hover taxi, damaging main rotor blades.

Incident Overview

A pilot reported that after about 20 minutes of flight, he returned to a private runway. Upon descending to the runway, he initiated a hover taxi toward the opposite end. During the maneuver, the helicopter's right skid made contact with the grass adjacent to the runway, causing the helicopter to roll over onto its right side. The main rotor blades sustained damage as a result of the rollover.

Pilot Statement

The pilot noted that there were no pre-accident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. He also stated his belief that the accident could have been prevented if he had reacted more quickly.

Damage Assessment

The rollover resulted in damage to the main rotor blades. No other damage items were specified in the report. The extent of damage to the airframe or other components was not detailed.

Contributing Factors

The investigation did not identify any causal factors beyond the pilot's reported contact with the grass. No analysis or conclusions regarding the pilot's reaction time or other factors were provided in the source material.

Contributing factors

PilotEffect on operation