Aerospatiale AS350B2 accident near Camden, South Carolina, May 3, 2011
On May 3, 2011 at about 6:45 am local time, a Aerospatiale AS350B2 (helicopter), registered N916AM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Camden, South Carolina (Woodward Field). It was a personal 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 instructor pilot did not maintain adequate helicopter control while maneuvering, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 2011 · about 6:45 am local time
- Place
- Camden, South Carolina · Woodward Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS350B2 · all AS350B2s on the register
- Registration
- N916AM · registry record · serial 2404
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instructor pilot had completed two night training flights in the helicopter, which included rapid decelerations, autorotations (including standard, hovering, and turning), sloping ground landings, and simulated hydraulic failures. The instructor pilot reported that at no time during the flights did he experience a hard landing or ground contact with the lower fin tail guard; however, a subsequent inspection revealed damage to the tailboom and tail rotor gearbox that was consistent with a hard landing. In addition, the lower fin tail guard contained fresh ground-contact marks, which were not present prior to the training flights.
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
- Hard landing during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,181 hours in all; 740 in this make and model; 92 in the last 90 days; 43 in the last 30 days; 3,576 as pilot in command; 478 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 7, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,340 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, April 30, 2011; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,961 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca Arriel 1D1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Methods Corp.
The flight
- Departed from: CDN Camden SC at 5:30 am
- Destination: CDN Camden SC
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 6:35 am from CDN
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.
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.