Eurocopter AS 350 B3 incident near Temple, Texas, June 26, 2014
On June 26, 2014 at about 8:02 pm local time, a 2010 Eurocopter AS 350 B3 (helicopter), registered N808LF, suffered minor damage in an incident during takeoff near Temple, Texas (Central Texas Regional airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to reposition the yaw servo hydraulic switch to the “on” position during the pretakeoff hydraulic system check, which resulted in a complete lack of hydraulic boost to the tail rotor system and increased the load required to move the control pedals and led to the pilot’s subsequent inability to manipulate the control pedals and his loss of yaw control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 26, 2014 · about 8:02 pm local time · cases in 2014
- Place
- Temple, Texas · Central Texas Regional · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter AS 350 B3, built 2010 · all AS 350 B3s on the register
- Registration
- N808LF · registry record · serial 4983
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After an uneventful emergency medical services flight, the commercial pilot landed the helicopter at an airport to refuel for the return flight to the helicopter's base. The pilot reported that his preflight checks were normal and that, immediately after takeoff, the helicopter started a counter-clockwise yaw. He added that the antitorque pedals were locked in the neutral position and felt jammed. He attempted to correct the rotation but was unable to do so. After the helicopter rotated several times, he descended it from about 15 to 4 to 5 ft and then executed a hovering autorotation. The helicopter hit the ground on its right front skid and then slid upright to a stop. A postincident examination of the helicopter revealed no anomalies with its tail rotor and hydraulic systems. However, the yaw servo hydraulic switch on the collective was found in the "off" position even though the pretakeoff dual hydraulic system check requires that the yaw servo hydraulic switch be moved to the "off" position and then moved back to the "on" position before takeoff. After this incident, the helicopter manufacturer issued a safety information notice, which stated that, if the pilot fails to move the yaw servo hydraulic switch back to the "on" position before takeoff, there will be a complete lack of hydraulic boost to the tail rotor system because, before this part of the check, the yaw load compensator would have been discharged to verify proper operation of the hydraulic accumulator test switch and valve. This situation could be perceived by the pilot as a tail rotor control failure due to the increased load required to move the control pedals. If not quickly identified and corrected, this situation could lead to a loss of helicopter control, as occurred during the accident flight.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Hydraulic power system › (general) › Incorrect use/operation other cases naming the heating, ice protection and utility systems
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Last flight review: December 18, 2013
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,004 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 4,960 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca Arriel 2B1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Methods
The flight
- Departed from: TPL Temple TX at 8:02 pm
- Destination: Hamilton TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 8:15 pm from TPL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on June 27, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Additional Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Crew Jeff Ryals Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Crew Nathan De La Cruz Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Hydraulic System Test Factual Report | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Email, Helicopter Release | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Photographs | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 8 | Airbus Safety Information Notice | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N808LF the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N808LF on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Airbus Helicopters AS350 AStar (Écureuil), now H125 893 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Airbus Helicopters 267 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Turbomeca Arriel 2B1 271 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Draughon-Miller Central Texas Regional · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,244 since 1982 · 1,063 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,976 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N808LF 2 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN14IA329.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.