Aerospatiale AS-355-F1 accident near Daggett, California, August 8, 1995
On August 8, 1995 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Aerospatiale AS-355-F1 (helicopter), registered N813CE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Daggett, California. It was an executive or corporate 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 failure of the Starflex arm due to fatigue, and the manufacturer's inadequate maintenance procedure. The operator's maintenance personnel failure to understand the repair procedure was a factor in the accident.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 1995 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Daggett, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS-355-F1 · all AS-355-F1s on the register
- Registration
- N813CE · no longer on the register · serial 5010
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER ENTERED GROUND RESONANCE BEFORE LIFT-OFF. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES BEFORE THEY STRUCK THE GROUND. WRECKAGE EXAMINATION SHOWED THAT ALL OF THE HELICOPTER COMPONENTS THAT COULD CAUSE GROUND RESONANCE WERE SERVICEABLE. EXAMINATION OF THE BROKEN STARFLEX YELLOW ARM DISCLOSED THAT IT FRACTURED DUE TO FATIGUE IN AN AREA WHERE PREVIOUS REPAIRS HAVE BEEN MADE, AND THAT ITS POROSITY LEVEL WAS HIGH. FATIGUE WAS ALSO FOUND IN THE RED ARM, ALSO IN A PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED AREA. MAINTENANCE RECORDS SHOWED THAT ALL THE STARFLEX ARMS RECEIVED A TEMPORARY REPAIR 4 MONTHS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. THE REPAIR IN THE RED ARM DID NOT CONFORM TO THE TEMPORARY REPAIR PROCEDURE. EXAMINATION OF THE FULL REPAIR WAS NEVER ACCOMPLISHED, NOR WAS IT REQUIRED UNTIL THE ROTOR MAST WAS TO BE REMOVED FOR OTHER SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE. THE MAINTENANCE MANUAL DOES NOT SPECIFY THE TIME WHEN THE TEMPORARY REPAIR OF THE STARFLEX ARM SHOULD BE FULLY REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER'S REPRESENTATIVES STATE THAT THE FULL REPAIR SHOULD BE MADE WHEN THE ROTOR HEAD IS REMOVED FOR SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 12,242 hours in all; 183 in this make and model; 92 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 10,637 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,170 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 1, 1995; 69 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20F (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: SNA Santa Ana CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.