Eurocopter France AS350B1 accident near Linden, New Jersey, March 4, 2008
On March 4, 2008 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Eurocopter France AS350B1 (helicopter), registered N152TA, was substantially damaged in an accident during uncontrolled descent near Linden, New Jersey (Linden airport). It was a flight test 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 pilot's improper preflight preparation and his failure to maintain control of the helicopter.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 4, 2008 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Linden, New Jersey · Linden · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter France AS350B1 · all AS350B1s on the register
- Registration
- N152TA · registry record · serial 2241
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was taking off from a dolly for a track and balance maintenance flight. He said that while hover taxiing the right door blew open. Shortly thereafter, he noticed that his clipboard was about to fall out of the helicopter. He quickly tried to transfer his left hand to the cyclic so that he could use his right hand to stop the clipboard from falling. He said that he put in too much aft cyclic and the tail guard struck the ground. Examination by a FAA inspector revealed that the tail boom was buckled. The pilot did not report any mechanical anomalies prior to 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
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during uncontrolled descent
- Loss of control in flight defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Flight planning/navigation › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,750 hours in all; 750 in this make and model; 109 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 1,700 as pilot in command; 800 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,479 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 1, 2008; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,850 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca Arrial 1 D (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LDJ Linden NJ at 3:00 pm
- Destination: LDJ Linden NJ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 15 knots
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,900 ft; ovct at 22,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 3:15 pm from EWR, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.