Eurocopter AS 350B3 accident near Jacksonville, Florida, August 4, 2009
On August 4, 2009 at about 8:28 pm local time, a Eurocopter AS 350B3 (helicopter), registered N186AE, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (hover) near Jacksonville, Florida (Herlong airport). It was a public-use flight (federal) under public-use (government) rules. 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's improper decision to attempt hover flight without hydraulic power and his subsequent loss of control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 2009 · about 8:28 pm local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, Florida · Herlong · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter AS 350B3 · all AS 350B3s on the register
- Registration
- N186AE · registry record · serial 3872
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (federal) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor and a commercial pilot receiving instruction were practicing maneuvers in the helicopter with the hydraulic system turned off, to simulate a hydraulic system failure. The commercial pilot was conducting a practice approach to a runway, with a transition to a hover. As the helicopter approached 5 feet above the ground, the commercial pilot began to lose directional control of the helicopter. The flight instructor assumed control; however, the helicopter entered multiple revolutions, climbs, and descents before it contacted the ground, spun, and rolled over. The fuselage, tail rotor and main rotor drive systems were substantially damaged. Examination of the helicopter did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions; nor did either pilot report any mechanical abnormalities. According to the helicopter manufacturer's flight manual training supplement, hovering without hydraulic power was not an approved procedure and would result in "excessive pilot workload, poor aircraft control, and possible loss of control."
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 maneuvering (hover) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Hydraulic power system › (general) › Simulated malf/failure
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,422 hours in all; 580 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 1,264 as pilot in command; 681 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 17, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,620 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 1,200 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 11, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,149 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 21, 2009; 52 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,961 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca Arriel 2B/2B1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NIP Jacksonville FL at 7:58 pm
- Destination: HEG Jacksonville FL
- Runway 25, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; a few clouds at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from VQQ, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.