Eurocopter AS 350 B2 incident near Peach Springs, Arizona, March 3, 2009
On March 3, 2009 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Eurocopter AS 350 B2 (helicopter), registered N197AE, suffered minor damage in an incident during enroute (descent) near Peach Springs, Arizona. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to the failure of the number three engine bearing as a result of oil starvation due to coked oil obstructing the oil passages.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 3, 2009 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Peach Springs, Arizona · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter AS 350 B2 · all AS 350 B2s on the register
- Registration
- N197AE · no longer on the register · serial 3909
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot heard a loud pop while descending into a canyon and had a loss of main rotor rpm. The pilot entered an autorotation to an open area and landed successfully. Examination of the engine revealed that it was intact and exhibited minimal impact related damage. Disassembly of the engine revealed that the rear bearing support housing was intact and undamaged. The number three bearing was intact, however, did not rotate freely. The inner race and ball bearings exhibited heavy rub marks and thermal damage and the outer race exhibited thermal damage. No oil residue was observed on the bearing components. The damage to the number three bearing was consistent with oil starvation. Debris was observed within the oil scavenge passage of the rear bearing support housing near the oil feed ring assembly. The rear bearing support housing (RBSH) was removed and placed on a flow test bench. The RBSH assembly flowed approximately one-half of the normal oil flow rate and irregular flow patterns were observed. Examination of the RBSH revealed no significant damage; however, the oil passages that feed oil to the number three bearing assembly contained deposits that most likely obstructed oil flow to the bearing. Analysis of the deposited material found that it was composed of coked synthetic oil. Prior to the incident, the engine manufacturer issued an Operating Information Letter that outlined recommended engine shutdown procedures. The two-step process consisted of a two minute idle period prior to shutdown followed after shutdown by motoring the engine with the starter motor for 10 seconds. The Operating Information Letter indicated that not following the procedures could result in coke build up in the number 2 and number 3 bearing oil jets and sump area. The operator reported that company pilots were instructed to comply with the recommended engine idle cool down procedure; however, company policy did not direct pilots to comply with the recommended post shutdown motoring after engine shutdown procedure due to concerns about depletion of oil in the engine oil reservoir. It was not determined if the bearing failure was a direct result of the operator not complying with the complete recommended shutdown procedure outlined by the engine manufacturer.
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
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during enroute (descent)
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (descent) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (turbine/turboprop) › (general) › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,968 hours in all; 503 in this make and model; 1,078 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 26, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,602 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 26, 2009; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,961 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Honeywell LTS 101 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 61B Boulder City NV at 5:15 pm
- Destination: Grand Canyon AZ
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 16,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 1:45 pm from LAS, 52 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 6 |
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.