Aerospatiale AS350B accident near Kalaupapa, Hawaii, July 15, 1994
On July 15, 1994 at about 3:45 am local time, a Aerospatiale AS350B (helicopter), registered N350MH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kalaupapa, Hawaii. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was seriously injured; 6 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY MONITOR POWER REQUIRED VERSUS POWER AVAILABLE TO MAINTAIN ROTOR REVOLUTIONS PER MINUTE (RPM), RESULTING IN ROTOR RPM DECAY AND A FORCED LANDING. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S CHANGE OF THE TOUR ROUTE WITHOUT NOTIFYING THE COMPANY, WHICH DELAYED RESCUE, AND THE LOCATION OF THE ARM AND FIRE SWITCHES FOR THE FLOTATION EQUIPMENT, WHICH REQUIRED THE PILOT TO REMOVE HIS HAND FROM THE COLLECTIVE CONTROL TO ACTIVATE THAT EQUIPMENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 15, 1994 · about 3:45 am local time
- Place
- Kalaupapa, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 6 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS350B · all AS350Bs on the register
- Registration
- N350MH · no longer on the register · serial 2199
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER WAS ON A 14 CFR PART 135 AIR TOUR FLIGHT, WHICH WAS SCHEDULED TO TOUR AROUND THE ISLAND OF MAUI. THE PILOT MADE THE DECISION TO TOUR THE ISLAND OF MOLOKAI WHEN WEATHER ALONG HIS SCHEDULED ROUTE DETERIORATED. HE DID NOT INFORM THE COMPANY OF THE ROUTING CHANGE. WHILE IN A HOVER APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET FROM A SHORE LINE, ROTOR RPM DETERIORATED AND THE INFLATABLE FLOAT-EQUIPPED HELICOPTER MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN THE WATER. THE FLOATS WERE DEPLOYED AS THE HELICOPTER ENTERED THE WATER; HOWEVER, THE LANDING WAS HARD AND THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. (TO DEPLOY THE FLOATS, THE PILOT WAS REQUIRED TO REMOVE HIS HAND FROM THE COLLECTIVE CONTROL.) THE PILOT AND FIVE OF THE PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. THE REMAINING PASSENGER RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES. AFTER LANDING, THE SEVEN OCCUPANTS DONNED LIFE VESTS AND SWAM TO THE SHORE WHERE THEY SPENT THE NIGHT BEFORE BEING LOCATED BY AIRBORNE SEARCH PERSONNEL. THE HELICOPTER DRIFTED ASHORE AND WAS EXAMINED. NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.
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: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,497 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 227 in the last 90 days; 77 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,337 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 4, 1994; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,630 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL 1B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OGG Kahului HI at 3:16 am
- Destination: OGG HI
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 am from OGG, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 5 |
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.