Aerospatiale AS-355-F2 accident near Burlington, North Carolina, October 17, 2000
On October 17, 2000 at about 3:55 am local time, a Aerospatiale AS-355-F2 (helicopter), registered N355DU, was destroyed in an accident near Burlington, North Carolina. It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The mechanics failure to comply with manufacturers instructions for correction of a illuminated main rotor gearbox oil pressure warning light resulting in the helicopter being dispatched on a ferry flight with a failed main rotor gearbox oil pump, failure of the main rotor gearbox combining gearbox gears due to oil starvation, loss of main rotor RPM, and the helicopter colliding with trees and the ground during an uncontrolled descent.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 2000 · about 3:55 am local time
- Place
- Burlington, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS-355-F2 · all AS-355-F2s on the register
- Registration
- N355DU · no longer on the register · serial 5489
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About 5 minutes before landing at a hospital, the main rotor gearbox (MGB) oil pressure warning light illuminated. The pilot continued to the hospital, landed, and performed an immediate engine shutdown. A mechanic disconnected the wiring to the MGB oil pressure switch and the light went out. The mechanic stated he believed the oil pressure switch had failed and he asked the pilot to run the helicopter, hover the helicopter, and if everything was normal, to fly it back to the base hospital. The pilot did the run and hover, and then departed the hospital. The helicopter crashed about 1 minute later. Witnesses stated they heard the helicopter approach the crash site at a low altitude and making a slow thumping noise. Examination of the MGB showed the oil pump idler gear had seized in the oil pump due to undetermined reasons and the oil pump drive shaft had failed due to overstress. The teeth on the engine input gears, intermediate gears, and MGB drive gear in the MGB combining gearbox had failed due to high-temperature overstress, which was the result of oil starvation. The helicopter was not equipped with a MGB oil pressure indicator. The maintenance procedure for trouble shooting an illuminated MGB oil pressure warning light is to first check the electrical circuit, and if this does not correct the problem, to change the oil pressure switch. The mechanic stated he did not have the maintenance manuals with him while working on the helicopter. The MGB had been installed in the helicopter after overhaul, 3 days and 4 flight hours before the accident.
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: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,700 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,192 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, July 10, 2000; 72 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,600 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C20F (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Corporate Jets, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 4NC3 at 3:54 am
- Destination: NC92 Durham NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 131°F (55°C), dew point 129°F (54°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 am from BUY, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.