Eurocopter AS 350 B2 accident near Los Alamitos, California, December 10, 2024
On December 10, 2024 at about 8:10 pm local time, a 2008 Eurocopter AS 350 B2 (helicopter), registered N913WB, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (hover) near Los Alamitos, California (Los Alamitos Aaf airport). It was an instructional flight under public-use (government) rules. 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The student pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during a run-on landing and the flight instructor’s excessive correction which resulted in impact with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 10, 2024 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Los Alamitos, California · Los Alamitos Aaf · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter AS 350 B2, built 2008 · all AS 350 B2s on the register
- Registration
- N913WB · registry record · serial 4491
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor of the helicopter reported that after acknowledging a landing clearance, he activated the HYD TEST switch to simulate a hydraulics failure. The student pilot responded to the simulated emergency and initiated a shallow approach for a “running” or run-on landing. Upon touchdown the helicopter veered left, toward the edge of the runway. The flight instructor applied corrective cyclic movement, which resulted in the helicopter becoming airborne. The flight instructor took control of the helicopter but struggled to maintain control without hydraulic assistance. The helicopter yawed to the left uncontrollably and impacted the ground. At the time of the accident, the pilot was landing the helicopter on runway 04R with wind from 050° at 4 knots, gusting 12 knots. The flight instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering (hover) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,917 hours in all; 1,775 in this make and model; 98 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 1,721 as pilot in command; 138 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 11, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 39 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 0.4 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 17,134 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 4,961 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL 1D1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Lapd Air Support Division
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4R, 7,999 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point -18°F (-28°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 am from KSLI
Weather report (METAR): METAR KSLI 101955Z 07012KT 10SM FEW050 25/M28 A3023 RMK AO2A SLP240 T02451280=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on April 22, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 Flight Instructor | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 Student Pilot | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photos for WPR25LA058 | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.