Aerospatiale AS355F1 incident near New York, New York, March 22, 2008
On March 22, 2008 at about 3:10 pm local time, a Aerospatiale AS355F1 (helicopter), registered N406LH, suffered minor damage in an incident during takeoff near New York, New York (West 30Th St. Heliport airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate visual lookout and subsequent failure to maintain clearance from the other helicopter due to his focus on the engine instruments during the initial departure. Contributing to the accident was insufficient helipad spacing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 22, 2008 · about 3:10 pm local time
- Place
- New York, New York · West 30Th St. Heliport · map
- Type
- Incident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS355F1 · all AS355F1s on the register
- Registration
- N406LH · no longer on the register · serial 5111
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot initiated a takeoff to a hover from the helipad while another helicopter was running at a low rotor rpm on an adjacent helipad. He turned his attention to the engine instruments in the cockpit and initiated a left turn in preparation for departure. The tail skid of his helicopter then struck the rotor of the other helicopter. The pilot landed his helicopter back on the helipad and shut the engines down. The pilot had approximately 10 hours experience in the accident helicopter make and model, which was the twin-engine version of the single-engine helicopter in which he was significantly more experienced. Examination of the heliport revealed helipad spacing substantially less than that advised by Federal Aviation Administration Advisory Circular 150/5390-2B, Heliport Design.
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
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Aircraft › Awareness of condition
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Attention › Pilot
- factor Environmental issues › Operating environment › Airport facilities/design › Runway/landing area length › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,130 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 4,810 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 1, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,393 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 1, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 5,291 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Rolls-Royce Turbomeca 250-C20F (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Rolls-Royce Turbomeca 250-C20F (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: JRA New York NY at 3:10 pm
- Destination: JRA New York NY
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft; a few clouds at 8,500 ft
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 1°F (-17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:51 pm from NYC, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.