Eurocopter AS350B2 accident near Mesa, Arizona, May 11, 2000
On May 11, 2000 at about 8:34 pm local time, a Eurocopter AS350B2 (helicopter), registered N851HW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mesa, Arizona (Falcon airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the instructor pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 11, 2000 · about 8:34 pm local time
- Place
- Mesa, Arizona · Falcon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter AS350B2 · all AS350B2s on the register
- Registration
- N851HW · no longer on the register · serial 2622
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor was giving flight instruction to a new-hire pilot in preparation for his 14 CFR Part 135 check ride. Another new-hire pilot was seated in the back to observe the training. The pilot trainee was performing a hydraulics-off, run-on landing. As the student approached the touchdown point the instructor reminded him to keep his airspeed up. He reported that just prior to touchdown, the aircraft controls became very stiff. At that point, the flight instructor directed the pilot trainee to re-engage the hydraulics isolation switch on the collective control. The student re-engaged the hydraulics but reported that the controls remained stiff and he was having difficulty applying forward cyclic. As the instructor got on the controls it started a slow turn to the left. As the instructor attempted to counteract the turn rate increased. The helicopter impacted the ground in a left turn with rear lateral movement. The landing gear skids collapsed.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,800 hours in all; 4,500 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,595 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, April 15, 2000; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL 1B1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FFZ AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from FFZ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.