Eurocopter AS 350 B2 accident near New Hudson, Michigan, August 17, 2004
On August 17, 2004 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Eurocopter AS 350 B2 (helicopter), registered N631SD, was substantially damaged in an accident near New Hudson, Michigan. It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The autorotation performed by the dual student and the delayed remedial action by the certified flight instructor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 17, 2004 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- New Hudson, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter AS 350 B2 · all AS 350 B2s on the register
- Registration
- N631SD · registry record · serial 3389
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The public-use instructional flight impacted terrain during a hard landing while practicing autorotations. The private pilot stated the certified flight instructor (CFI) pulled the throttle back and she entered an autorotation. The CFI rolled the throttle back to the full on position. The helicopter was leveled and collective was pulled. The helicopter landed hard. The CFI stated that he noticed an excessive sink rate and he applied the throttle with no response. He applied cyclic to help the private pilot level the helicopter and collective to cushion the landing.
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: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 388 hours in all; 323 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 23,286 hours in all; 5,789 in this make and model; 211 in the last 90 days; 96 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca Arriel 1Ser (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PTK Pontiac MI
- Destination: Y47 New Hudson MI
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.94 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from PTK, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.