Aerospatiale AS 350B accident near West Palm Beach, Florida, April 8, 1997
On April 8, 1997 at about 12:44 pm local time, a Aerospatiale AS 350B (helicopter), registered N370WM, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Palm Beach, Florida (Palm Beach International airport). It was a public-use flight under public-use (government) rules. 5 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the pilot-in-command to recognize that the main rotor rpm was decreasing and his failure to maintain the main rotor rpm during the autorotative landing resulting in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the partial loss of engine power due to partial blockage of the engine air inlet screen. Also contributing was inadequate inspection of the airplane following maintenance by other maintenance personnel for their failure to remove a paint masking roll from the canopy. Additionally, inadequate preflight of the helicopter by the pilot for his failure to observe the roll of paint masking material and weight and balance exceeded.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 1997 · about 12:44 pm local time
- Place
- West Palm Beach, Florida · Palm Beach International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS 350B · all AS 350Bs on the register
- Registration
- N370WM · no longer on the register · serial 2508
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The day before the accident, spot painting was performed to the upper corners of the windshield, and the mechanic failed to remove the roll of masking material from the canopy. During the preflight without using a checklist, the pilot did not notice the roll of masking material. Weight and balance calculations were not performed by the pilot, and postaccident calculations revealed that the helicopter was 76 pounds over gross weight at takeoff. During the initial climb, a portion of the roll of masking material fell from the helicopter, and about 13 feet wrapped around the main rotor mast. Additionally, about 5 feet was partially sucked over and into the engine inlet. The engine experienced a partial loss of power while climbing about 150 feet agl, with a resulting decrease in main rotor rpm. The low rotor warning was heard by the passengers followed by a hard landing. Postcrash the engine was placed in a test cell and found to operate normally. The checklist does not specifically mention to check the oil cooler inlet area or forward of that area during preflight.
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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,537 hours in all; 4,264 in this make and model; 105 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 11,147 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,216 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 4, 1997; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL 1B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PBI at 12:44 pm
- Destination: Stuart FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from PBI, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.