March 8, 2007, Princeville, Hawaii, Aerospatiale AS350BA

The helicopter was substantially damaged at 1502 Hawaii time when it collided with terrain following a loss of control while landing. The Airline Transport pilot and three passengers were fatally injured; three additional passengers were seriously injured. Visual conditions prevailed for the local air tour flight conducted under FAR 135.

Wednesday, April 18, 2007 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

A helicopter crashed during landing after a loss of control, fatally injuring the pilot and three passengers, and seriously injuring three others.
The pilot radioed escalating "hydraulic problems" to "hydraulic failure" before the impact.
Investigation revealed the lower clevis of the left lateral servo had detached, with its jam nut, lock nut, and safety wire found freely rotating despite undamaged threads, suggesting an installation or maintenance deficiency.

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The pilot contacted the company base by radio at about 1455, announcing, “Im having hydraulic problems, and Im probably going to have to do a run-on landing.” As the radio conversation with the pilot continued, his description changed from “hydraulic problem” to “hydraulic failure.” As the helicopter approached the ground, the pilot stated, “Okay were done.” Then, the sound of the rotor changed pitch and the helicopter impacted the ground. Examination of the wreckage revealed the hydraulic reservoir was full, but the sight glass was fractured and seeping. The hydraulic pump was intact, with the drivebelt attached. Further examination revealed that the lower clevis of the left lateral servo was still attached to the transmission case, but was no longer attached to the servo. Closer examination revealed that the threads on the clevis, as well as the threads on the inner diameter of the servo, appeared undamaged. The jam nut, the lock nut and the safety wire were still attached to the clevis threads and free to rotate.