Aerospatiale AS-350D accident near Houston, Texas, April 26, 1982
On April 26, 1982 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Aerospatiale AS-350D (helicopter), registered N5784Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Houston, Texas (Cypress (Closed) airport). 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 1982 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · Cypress (Closed) · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS-350D · all AS-350Ds on the register
- Registration
- N5784Y · no longer on the register · serial 1424
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS FOR THE PILOT TO PRACTICE MANEUVERS IN PREPARATION FOR A PART 135 CHECK RIDE. THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING POWER RECOVERY AUTOROTATIONS TO A HEIGHT OF ABOUT 5 FT AG. HE REPORTED THAT ON HIS FOURTH AUTOROTATION, THE ENGINE DID NOT ACCELERATE WHEN HE ATTEMPTED THE POWER RECOVERY. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER FELL THROUGH THE RECOVERY AND LANDED HARD. DURING THE INVESTIGATION, THE ENGINE FUEL CONTROL AND POWER TURBINE GOVERNOR WERE REMOVED FOR EXAMINATION. THE GOVERNOR WAS FOUND TO BE WITHIN SPECIFICATIONS. HOWEVER, AN EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL CONTROL UNIT REVEALED THE PX TRIM BLEED PART WAS OVERSIZE. THE SPECIFICATION CALLED FOR A SIZE #64 TO #68 PART, BUT A #61 PART WAS INSTALLED. ALSO, THERE WAS SOME WEAR ON THE BELLOWS. ACCORDING TO BENDIX CORP, THE OVERSIZE PART AND WEAR WOULD HAVE LEANED THE MIXTURE, BUT WOULD NOT HAVE CAUSED THE POWER LOSS.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,845 hours in all; 71 in this make and model; 222 in the last 90 days; 2,807 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 80 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming LTS-101-600A2 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air-Op, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Houston TX at 2:10 pm
- Destination: Houston TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 325° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 163°F (73°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.