Aerospatiale AS350BA accident near Kamuela, Hawaii, October 22, 2000
On October 22, 2000 at about 6:07 pm local time, a Aerospatiale AS350BA (helicopter), registered N12NT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kamuela, Hawaii. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power due to the failure of the engine manufacturer's repair station personnel to install a circlip during engine overhaul, which resulted in the turbine assembly aft support bearing becoming dislodged and seized on the shaft. A factor in the accident was the rough and uneven nature of the landing site terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 22, 2000 · about 6:07 pm local time
- Place
- Kamuela, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS350BA · all AS350BAs on the register
- Registration
- N12NT · registry record · serial 1670
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A hard autorotation landing resulted from a loss of engine power in the takeoff initial climb. Inspection of the engine after the accident revealed that the engine gas generator compressor/turbine shaft was seized. The engine was overhauled 61 hours prior to the accident. The gas generator turbine aft support bearing was found dislodged from the bearing support cage. A circlip used to retain the bearing in the cage was not present and there was no evidence of the circlip having been installed during overhaul. The autorotation was made to an area of dirt and rocks that had a slight upslope.
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; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,800 hours in all; 2,600 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 4,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,227 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, August 26, 2000; 64 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: MUE HI at 5:55 pm
- Destination: Private Helipad
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 178°F (81°C), dew point 154°F (68°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from HKO, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX01LA025.