Eurocopter AS 350 B2 Ecureuil accident near Columbus, Ohio, October 9, 2007
On October 9, 2007 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Eurocopter AS 350 B2 Ecureuil (helicopter), registered N71HP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbus, Ohio (Ohio State University airport). It was a public-use flight (state) 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 student pilot's excessive descent rate and the flight instructor's delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 9, 2007 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Columbus, Ohio · Ohio State University · 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 Ecureuil · all AS 350 B2 Ecureuils on the register
- Registration
- N71HP · registry record · serial 2775
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (state) · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight was a training flight primarily to conduct autorotations. During one of the practice autorotations, the student developed an excessive sink rate which the flight instructor was slow to catch. The helicopter executed a run-on landing into a field with uneven terrain. Post flight examination the morning after this flight revealed substantial damage to the helicopter. The wind was 280 degrees at 15 knots gusting to 21 knots at the time of the accident. The flight instructor's safety recommendation was to conduct "Autorotational Training to a Runway or improved surface.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, military
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,254 hours in all; 80 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 1,520 as pilot in command; 42 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 14,955 hours in all; 1,647 in this make and model; 64 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 14,955 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,414 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 4,961 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca 1D1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OSU Columbus OH at 7:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 15 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from OSU
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.