Eurocopter France AS 350 B2 accident near Riverside, California, June 13, 2003
On June 13, 2003 at about 7:45 pm local time, a Eurocopter France AS 350 B2 (helicopter), registered N6087C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Riverside, California (March Afb airport). It was a public-use flight under public-use (government) rules. 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
The flying pilot's failure to align the helicopter during a simulated emergency landing, which resulted in a hard landing and structural damage to the helicopter. A factor associated with the accident was the check pilot's failure to initiate remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 13, 2003 · about 7:45 pm local time
- Place
- Riverside, California · March Afb · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter France AS 350 B2 · all AS 350 B2s on the register
- Registration
- N6087C · registry record · serial 2677
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The public use operator of the helicopter reported that the purpose of the flight was for the flying pilot to receive an annual proficiency check. During a simulated "stuck" anti-torque pedal emergency landing procedure, the flying pilot attempted to land the helicopter on a hard surfaced runway while the helicopter still had significant yaw. The helicopter touched down twice, and landed hard on the second touchdown, resulting in structural damage to the helicopter's fuselage and drive train components. Both pilots held flight instructor and airline transport certificates. The check pilot did not intercede or apply remedial action while the flying pilot was attempting to land with the simulated stuck pedal.
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 (unmanned)
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 14,250 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command; 3,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 25, 2002
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 585 in this make and model; 69 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 15, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,752.6 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 10, 2003; 4.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,961 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca Arriel 1D1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RIV Riverside CA at 7:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 3,145 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from RIV
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 N6087C 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.