Aerospatiale 350-B accident near Las Piedras, Puerto Rico, January 31, 1986
On January 31, 1986 at about 10:23 am local time, a Aerospatiale 350-B (helicopter), registered N513HC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Las Piedras, Puerto Rico (Boqueron airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- January 31, 1986 · about 10:23 am local time
- Place
- Las Piedras, Puerto Rico · Boqueron
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale 350-B
- Registration
- N513HC · no longer on the register · serial 1440
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PILOT STATED THAT WHILE FLARING TO ENTER A HOVER TO REVERSE DIRECTION FOR TAKEOFF THE TAIL ROTOR GUARD STRUCK THE GROUND AND SEPARATED. THE HELICOPTER WAS NOSED OVER FORWARD AND AS IT WAS FLARED A SECOND TIME THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK THE GROUND CAUSING LOSS OF CONTROL. THE MAIN ROTOR THEN CONTACTED THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST UPRIGHT.
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: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,494 hours in all; 469 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 1,264 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,020 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 1, 1985; 86 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,190 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL 1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 1,300 ft by 120 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 13 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 am from SJU, 25 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.