Aerospatiale AS350B accident near Cloverdale, California, September 21, 1990
On September 21, 1990 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Aerospatiale AS350B (helicopter), registered N700TV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cloverdale, California (Cloverdale airport). It was an instructional 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
THE IMPROPER PROCEDURE EMPLOYED BY THE STUDENT PILOT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS FAILURE OF THE CFI TO ADEQUATELY GUARD THE FLIGHT CONTROLS TO APPLY TIMELY CORRECTIVE ACTIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 1990 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Cloverdale, California · Cloverdale · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS350B · all AS350Bs on the register
- Registration
- N700TV · no longer on the register · serial 1838
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AN AEROSPATIALE AS350B HELICOPTER LANDED HARD WHILE PRACTICING HOVERING AUTOROTATIONS. THE CFI INDICATED THAT THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ON THE CONTROLS AND ABRUPTLY LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE CONTROL DURING THE LAST HOVERING AUTOROTATION. THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD. THE CFI ALSO INDICATED THAT HE FAILED TO ADEQUATELY GUARD THE COLLECTIVE CONTROL DURING THE LAST HOVERING AUTOROTATION.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,532 hours in all; 81 in this make and model; 3,237 as pilot in command; 303 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,756 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL 1B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Resort Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: 209 Clear Lake CA at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.