S.N.I.A.S. AS350D ASTAR accident near Alcoa, Tennessee, April 12, 1982
On April 12, 1982 at about 10:51 am local time, a S.N.I.A.S. AS350D ASTAR (helicopter), registered N3605B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Alcoa, Tennessee (Mcghee Tyson airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 12, 1982 · about 10:51 am local time
- Place
- Alcoa, Tennessee · Mcghee Tyson · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- S.N.I.A.S. AS350D ASTAR AS350D AST
- Registration
- N3605B · no longer on the register · serial 1215
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE PREPARING TO LAND, THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A TAIL ROTOR DRIVE FAILURE AT A SPEED OF LESS THAN 60 KNOTS. AT THAT SPEED, HE WAS UNABLE TO MAKE THE NECESSARY RIGHT TURN FROM HIS POSITION TO LAND ON THE RUNWAY. INSTEAD, HE CLIMBED ABOUT 50 FT IN A LEFT TURN TO LINE-UP FOR A RUN-ON LANDING. AS HE SLOWED TO ABOUT 20 KNOTS AT LOW ALTITUDE, THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO YAW HARD TO THE LEFT. THE COLLECTIVE WAS LOWERED TO TOUCHDOWN BEFORE CONTROL WAS LOST. DURING THE LANDING, THE HELICOPTER BOUNCED AND ROTATED ABOUT 90 DEGREES BEFORE COMING TO REST. AN EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER 4 TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT BEARING, PN 6007-2RS1MT47CA, HAD SEIZED. THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT AND RUBBER MOUNTING COLLAR CONTINUED TURNING UNTIL THE SEIZED BEARING CHAFFED THROUGH THE COLLAR AND ALSO THE DRIVE SHAFT ITSELF. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT, PN 350A34-0110-02, SHEARED. THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT BEARING WAS FACTORY LUBED AND SEALED AND HAD NO RETIREMENT TIME LIMIT. THE BEARING FAILED AFTER 729 HOURS OF OPERATION.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,615 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 176 in the last 90 days; 4,510 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 729 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,190 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming LTS101-600A-2 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mountain Coals INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Middesboro KY at 10:15 am
- Destination: Alcoa TN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 30,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 149°F (65°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 am from TYS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.