Eurocopter France AS350 B3 accident near Livermore, California, May 21, 2004
On May 21, 2004 at about 1:00 am local time, a Eurocopter France AS350 B3 (helicopter), registered N216HP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Livermore, California (Livermore Municipal 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 pilot's failure to maintain clearance from obstructions while landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 21, 2004 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Livermore, California · Livermore Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter France AS350 B3 · all AS350 B3s on the register
- Registration
- N216HP · registry record · serial 3330
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter drifted aft while the pilot was hover taxiing into position for landing and the tail rotor struck a chain link fence, damaging the tail rotor and tail boom. Following the tail rotor strike, the pilot hovered the helicopter forward and landed.
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: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,483 hours in all; 1,189 in this make and model; 99 in the last 90 days; 47 in the last 30 days; 3,483 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 12, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,234.8 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, May 16, 2004; 34.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,961 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca Aerial 2B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KSAC Sacaramento Exc CA
- Destination: KLVK Livermore CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 1:28 am from KLVK
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.
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.