Accidents
Accidents: September 2013

Preliminary Report: AStar Damaged During Training Flight

Eurocopter AS350B2, McCarran International Airport (KLAS), Las Vegas, Nev., July 22, 2013–The Eurocopter AS350 AStar was substantially damaged when its tail rotor struck the ground during a training flight at 7:15 a.m. Sundance Helicopters was operating the helicopter under Part 91 as a VFR instructional flight in VMC and carried a certified flight instructor and a pilot-rated student aboard. The two pilots told investigators that the flight was designed to transition the student to the accident helicopter, a model that was flown from the left-seat position as opposed to the standard right-seat position. The accident helicopter did not have dual controls and the instructor was seated in a rear seat, observing over the student’s shoulder.