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WPR25LA189

2025-06-25 · San Luis, Arizona, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport 44A

Current FAA registration · N3951A

Make / Model
AMERICAN EUROCOPTER CORP AS350B3
Year of manufacture
2010 · 15 years old at event
Engine
TURBOMECA ARRIEL 2B1 (747 hp)
Seats / Engines
7 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20100602
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A497D8

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot receiving instruction’s failure to properly recover the helicopter during an autorotative landing and the instructor pilot’s failure to intervene, which resulted in a hard landing.

Factual narrative

According to the operator, the instructor and pilot receiving instruction were conducting hover autorotation training over cement that was visually obstructed by a hard packed dirt surface. On the third autorotation, the pilot under instruction established a hover at a slightly higher altitude than the previous two practice iterations. During recovery, the pilot receiving instruction executed the appropriate procedures, but the helicopter began to settle faster than expected and he was unable to sufficiently reduce the rate of descent. Subsequently, the helicopter landed hard and resulted in substantial damage to the tail boom. The operator reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • — Personnel issues-Action/decision-Info processing/decision-Identification/recognition-Instructor/check pilot
  • — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of equip/system-Student/instructed pilot
  • — Environmental issues-Physical environment-Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface-(general)-Effect on equipment
  • — Aircraft-Aircraft oper/perf/capability-Performance/control parameters-Descent rate-Not attained/maintained
  • — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Instructor/check pilot
  • — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Student/instructed pilot

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2025_WPR25LA189.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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