Aerospatiale AS350 accident near Tampa, Florida, February 18, 2020
On February 18, 2020 at about 8:50 pm local time, a 2014 Aerospatiale AS350 (helicopter), registered N188FS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tampa, Florida (Tampa Executive airport). It was an instructional 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 flight instructor's inadvertent throttle reduction below idle, which resulted in a total loss of engine power and subsequent impact with terrain following a power-off autorotation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 18, 2020 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Tampa, Florida · Tampa Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS350 B2, built 2014 · all AS350s on the register
- Registration
- N188FS · no longer on the register · serial 7863
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor in the helicopter reported that he directed the pilot receiving instruction to conduct an autorotation with a 180° turn, followed by a power recovery. Abeam the departure end of runway, he moved the throttle lever from the "fly" position to idle. While conducting the maneuver, the pilot overshot the runway and aligned the helicopter with the parallel taxiway. Upon realizing that the helicopter was not in the correct position, the pilots chose to abort the maneuver and perform a go-around. While the pilot continued to fly the helicopter, the instructor inadvertently moved the throttle lever from idle aft toward the "off" position and then forward to the "fly" position. The engine experienced a total loss of power, and the instructor adjusted the throttle to no avail. As the helicopter descended, the pilot requested that the instructor "get on the controls." The instructor took the controls, conducted a power-off autorotation, and landed the helicopter on the taxiway. The helicopter skidded about 180 ft, departed the taxiway onto adjacent grass, and came to rest in a drainage ditch. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. The Federal Aviation Administrator inspector who examined the helicopter reported that the left antivibrator mount beam had sustained substantial damage.
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
- Autorotation Landing area undershoot
- Autorotation Attempted remediation/recovery
- Autorotation Loss of engine power (total) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing
- Runway excursion during landing
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › Fuel controlling system › Unintentional use/operation
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 12,088 hours in all; 1,226 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 11,023 as pilot in command; 559 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 20, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 225 hours in all; 104 in this make and model; 67 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 118 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 25, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,627.3 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 9, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 4,961 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Safran/Turbomeca Arriel 1D1 (turboshaft); 2,119 hours total
- Operator: Hillsborough County Sheriffs Office
The flight
- Departed from: TPF Tampa FL at 8:45 pm
- Destination: VDF Tampa FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,219 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,900 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 9:15 pm from VDF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on March 31, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Flight Instructor Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Student Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Record of Phone Conversation (Flight Instructor) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Record of Correspondence (FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Accident Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.