NTSB CAROL · Event
Event GAA16CA328
Registry · N4035W
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
EUROCOPTER AS 350 B2
Year of manufacture
1996 · 20 years old at event
TCDS
H9EU · AIRBUS HELICOPTERS
Engine
TURBOMECA ARRIEL 1SER (681 hp)
Seats / Engines
6 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19960927
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A4BAE2
Registrant of record
DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The pilot's inadvertent input of the right tail rotor pedal, which resulted in a loss of directional control and an impact with service equipment.
Factual narrative
The helicopter pilot reported that during the engine run-up sequence while on a movable helicopter pad attached to a tug, he noticed that the right rear door was not secure. The pilot unhooked his shoulder harness to reach back to secure the door. While attempting to reach the door, the pilot reported that he inadvertently applied right tail rotor pedal, which caused the helicopter to spin to the right multiple times. During the rotation the helicopter departed the movable pad, impacted the tug, and came to rest in an upright position on the ground. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The helicopter pilot reported that during the engine run-up sequence while on a movable helicopter pad attached to a tug, he noticed that the right rear door was not secure. The pilot unhooked his shoulder harness to reach back to secure the door. While attempting to reach the door, the pilot reported that he inadvertently applied right tail rotor pedal, which caused the helicopter to spin to the right multiple times. During the rotation the helicopter departed the movable pad, impacted the tug, and came to rest in an upright position on the ground. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer. The pilot reported there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12
NTSB Findings
Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).
- C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C
- C Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Directional control-Not attained/maintained - C
- — Personnel issues-Task performance-Inspection-Preflight inspection-Pilot
- — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Object/animal/substance-Ground vehicle-Contributed to outcome
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2016_GAA16CA328.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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