Eurocopter AS-350 accident near Islip, New York, August 3, 1999
On August 3, 1999 at about 3:31 pm local time, a Eurocopter AS-350 (helicopter), registered N211PD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Islip, New York (Long Island Macarthur airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of control during hydraulics-off hovering flight and the instructor's inadequate supervision of the maneuver. A factor was the tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 3, 1999 · about 3:31 pm local time
- Place
- Islip, New York · Long Island Macarthur · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter AS-350 · all AS-350s on the register
- Registration
- N211PD · registry record · serial 2807
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was completing transition training in the helicopter with a flight instructor. The pilot initiated a simulated hydraulics failure out of sequence with the flight-training guide and flew the helicopter to the ground without incident. With hydraulics still disabled, the pilot was instructed to hover-taxi approximately 100 feet, perform a left pedal turn, and taxi back. The pilot successfully hovered forward; however, during the turn to hover back to the start point, the pilot could not maintain control of the helicopter. The instructor attempted recovery, but the helicopter rolled and the main rotor blades struck terrain. Orientation of the helicopter following the turn resulted in a 14-knot tailwind. Examination of the wreckage revealed no pre-impact anomalies. Testing of the hydraulic servos revealed high fluid flow rates, but no operational deficiencies. Approximately 1 year after the accident, the helicopter manufacturer removed in ground-effect maneuvers with the hydraulics off from their flight-training guide.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,821 hours in all; 111 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 3,688 as pilot in command; 712 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,152 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 14, 1999; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,630 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARIEL 1-B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ISP at 2:45 pm
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from ISP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N211PD the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.