ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 276683
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| Date: | Saturday 19 March 2022 |
| Time: | 17:04 LT |
| Type: |  Eurocopter AS 332L1 Super Puma |
| Owner/operator: | Los Angeles Co Sheriff's Department |
| Registration: | N950SG |
| MSN: | 9007 |
| Engine model: | Safran Makila 1A1 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 6 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Azusa, CA -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Ambulance |
| Departure airport: | Long Beach Airport, CA (LGB/KLGB) |
| Yermo, CA | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot of the helicopter stated that, while maneuvering around the area looking for a suitable landing site, a dirt turnout alongside a road was selected. A tree was noted on the edge of the turnout. An approach was initiated to the site and expected brownout was encountered. About 5 ft above ground, the pilot heard the crewmember in the back of the helicopter call out 'hold.' The pilot arrested the descent and came to a hover. Within seconds the asphalt roadway reference was obscured by the brownout and he lost visual reference. He announced, 'lost visual' and started to climb, which was his last recollection before regaining consciousness.
The crewmember in the back of the helicopter reported that the helicopter approached the landing zone angled, to the south toward a tree. About 7 to 10 ft above the ground, he noticed that the helicopter was drifting forward, and he called out twice, 'You are drifting forward, hold.' The helicopter continued to drift and subsequently, struck a tree and rolled onto its left side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and main rotor system.
The pilot reported there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a tree after encountering brownout conditions and a loss of visual reference during the approach to land.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB WPR22LA125 https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=104802
http://aerossurance.com/helicopters/la-sheriff-hems-brownout-as332/
FAA register: https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=950SG
https://flightaware.com/live/flight/N950SG/history/20220319/2336Z
Location
Media:
The NTSB have just released their report into the LA County Sheriff AS332L1 #brownout accident 19 Mar 2022. https://t.co/8d7ObzhJoI #police #sar #airambulance #hems #accident #flightsafety #aviationsafety pic.twitter.com/GYopZlNgju
— Aerossurance (@Aerossurance) September 10, 2022
Our thoughts are with the men and women of @LASDHQ and the crew members of Air Rescue 5 that were injured today in a helicopter crash near San Gabriel Reservoir. We wish them a speedy recovery.
— Ventura County Sheriff (@VENTURASHERIFF) March 20, 2022
#BREAKING: An LASD Special Enforcement Bureau helicopter crashed near San Gabriel Dam Sunday, it was unknown what caused the crash. All four occupants of the aircraft were extricated, though their conditions were not immediately available. https://t.co/2QH8GVEsxE
— CBS Los Angeles (@CBSLA) March 20, 2022
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 20-Mar-2022 01:07 | Captain Adam | Added |
| 20-Mar-2022 03:04 | RobertMB | Updated [Time, Total occupants, Location, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 20-Mar-2022 07:24 | Aerossurance | Updated [Operator, Total occupants, Phase, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 20-Mar-2022 07:47 | harro | Updated [Registration, Cn, Source] |
| 20-Mar-2022 07:52 | Aerossurance | Updated [Narrative] |
| 20-Mar-2022 07:54 | harro | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Narrative] |
| 20-Mar-2022 08:02 | harro | Updated [Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 20-Mar-2022 09:29 | Aerossurance | Updated [Embed code, Narrative] |
| 20-Mar-2022 14:05 | johnwg | Updated [Phase, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Category] |
| 06-Apr-2022 22:30 | Captain Adam | Updated [Time, Location, Source, Narrative, Category] |
| 09-Sep-2022 13:21 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Other fatalities, Nature, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Damage, Narrative, Accident report] |
| 09-Sep-2022 13:27 | harro | Updated [Operator, Other fatalities, Source, Embed code, Narrative] |
| 10-Sep-2022 05:05 | Aerossurance | Updated [Operator, Nature, Source] |
| 10-Sep-2022 09:49 | Aerossurance | Updated [Source] |
| 10-Sep-2022 10:35 | Aerossurance | Updated [Embed code] |
| 30-May-2023 01:28 | Ron Averes | Updated [[Embed code]] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
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