Aerospatiale AS 350 ASTAR accident near Pacoima, California, February 9, 1983
On February 9, 1983 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Aerospatiale AS 350 ASTAR (helicopter), registered N3605T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pacoima, California (Whiteman airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 9, 1983 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Pacoima, California · Whiteman · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS 350 ASTAR AS 350 AST · all AS 350 ASTARs on the register
- Registration
- N3605T · no longer on the register · serial 1227
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES SEPARATED THE TAIL BOOM DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER. THE PLT STATED THE ACFT WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN EXPERIMENTAL ENGINE TORQUE AND TEMPERATURE LIMITING DEVICE AND THIS FLT WAS TO COLLECT DATA CONCERNING ITS OPERATION. THIS DEVICE MALFUNCTIONED AND AN UNCOMMANDED ENGINE SHUTDOWN OCCURRED AT 800 FT AGL. THE ACFT LANDED HARD ON THE SKID HEEL, ROCKED FORWARDED AND CAME TO REST UPRIGHT AFTER TRAVELING 105 FT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 54 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 700 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,190 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming LTS-010-600A2 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BUR Burbank CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from BUR, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N3605T 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.