Eurocopter AS350BA accident near Long Beach, California, March 8, 2009
On March 8, 2009 at about 3:50 pm local time, a Eurocopter AS350BA (helicopter), registered N234AH, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Long Beach, California (Queensway Heliport airport). It was a positioning 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 pilot's misjudged speed and altitude, which resulted in an undershoot of the landing zone.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 8, 2009 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Long Beach, California · Queensway Heliport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter AS350BA · all AS350BAs on the register
- Registration
- N234AH · no longer on the register · serial 2489
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter pilot said that he thought that the approach to the helipad seemed and felt normal, but in retrospect was flat. A witness thought that the approach was flat and fast. He indicated that the helicopter was in a nose-high attitude when the tail rotor hit the ground between rocks at the waterline and the edge of the pad. The pilot felt a jolt followed by a shutter. Because of the tail rotor damage, the helicopter yawed out of control to the left. It rotated 360 degrees as the pilot lowered the collective. Once completely on the ground, he pulled the fuel flow control lever out of the flight gate, pulled the emergency fuel shutoff control, and powered everything down while applying the main rotor brake.
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
- Landing area undershoot during landing defining event
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,578 hours in all; 182 in this make and model; 96 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 1,509 as pilot in command; 894 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 5, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,130 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 18, 2009; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,600 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca Ariel 1D1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Island Express Helicopters, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: LGB Long Beach CA at 3:43 pm
- Destination: Long Beach CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 60 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 pm from KLGB, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.