Aerospatiale AS350BA accident near El Cajon, California, October 3, 2000
On October 3, 2000 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Aerospatiale AS350BA (helicopter), registered N189ND, was substantially damaged in an accident near El Cajon, California (Gillespie Field Airport). It was a positioning 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
Improper torquing procedure of the aft tail rotor drive shaft coupling by maintenance personnel after tracking the tail rotor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 2000 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- El Cajon, California · Gillespie Field Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS350BA · all AS350BAs on the register
- Registration
- N189ND · no longer on the register · serial 2152
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While positioning the helicopter from the ground to a storage cart, the pilot lost directional, made a hard landing, and the tail boom struck the ground. Prior to the loss of directional control, the pilot saw something depart the tail section. He attributed the loss of directional control to a tail rotor failure. He initiated an autorotation over the landing cart. He maneuvered away from the cart in order to land on the ground and prevent a partial landing on the cart. The on-scene investigation revealed the aft drive shaft coupling was detached from the tail rotor drive shaft. Three bolts retain the coupling. One bolt was found attached to the coupling, another bolt was found on the ground, and the third bolt, and two of the retaining nuts, were not located. Neither bolt exhibited stripped threads or deformation. The last maintenance performed on the helicopter was by the previous owner. A track and balance of the tail rotor system was performed about 48 flight hours prior to the accident. According to the manufacturer's maintenance instructions, the balancing is accomplished by placement of washers under the nuts that are used to secure the bolts that attach to the aft drive shaft coupling. These are the same nuts that were not located at the accident site. Maintenance instructions also specify that the bolts in this area should be checked for proper torque and safety after an inspection.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 4,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,764 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 2, 2000; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,630 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL 1B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SEE at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,200 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 154°F (68°C), dew point 142°F (61°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from SEE
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.