Eurocopter AS-350 accident near Covington, Georgia, September 24, 2010
On September 24, 2010 at about 8:34 pm local time, a Eurocopter AS-350 (helicopter), registered N91DK, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (hover) near Covington, Georgia (Covington Municipal Airport). It was a public-use flight (local) under public-use (government) rules. 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's loss of control of the helicopter during the intentional demonstration of a low speed, hydraulics-off maneuver, that was warned against in the helicopter manufacturer's flight manual.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 24, 2010 · about 8:34 pm local time
- Place
- Covington, Georgia · Covington Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter AS-350 B2 · all AS-350s on the register
- Registration
- N91DK · registry record · serial 3497
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (local) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot of the helicopter, the instructor simulated a hydraulics failure by “turning off” the flight control hydraulics switch, in order to perform a hydraulics-off, run-on landing as the remedial action to the simulated emergency. As the helicopter slowed over the runway, the nose yawed to the left, and the pilot was unable to correct the yaw with right pedal input. The instructor took control of the helicopter, and completed a low-level, left-hand orbit to demonstrate and complete the maneuver. As the helicopter completed the left orbit and lined up for landing, it “rolled wings level” but then continued to roll to the right and collided with terrain. The pilot said that the entire maneuver was conducted hydraulics-off, and that he felt the instructor had control of the helicopter until it rolled past wings-level to the right. The pilot added that the instructor had successfully completed a similar maneuver earlier in the day, without restoring the flight control hydraulics. According to the manufacturer's Flight Manual (Emergency Procedures) and the Flight Manual Supplement, Hydraulic Pressure Failure Training Procedures, "CAUTION: DO NOT ATTEMPT TO CARRY OUT HOVER FLIGHT OR ANY LOW SPEED MANEUVER WITHOUT HYDRAULIC PRESSSURE ASSISTANCE. THE INTENSITY AND DIRECTION OF THE CONTROL FEEDBACK FORCES WILL CHANGE RAPIDLY. THIS WILL RESULT IN EXCESSIVE PILOT WORKLOAD, POOR AIRCRAFT CONTROL, AND POSSIBLE LOSS OF CONTROL." Both the pilot and the instructor stated that there was nothing wrong with the performance and handling of the helicopter.
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
- Attempted remediation/recovery during maneuvering (hover)
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering (hover) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Hydraulic power system › Hydraulic, main system › Simulated malf/failure
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 929 hours in all; 929 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 863 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 17, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,100 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,158 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 12, 2010; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,290 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca Arriel 1D1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Dekalb County Police Services
The flight
- Departed from: 9A1 Covington GA
- Destination: 9A1 Covington GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 5,500 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from LZU, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA10TA501.