Probable cause
The pilot's improper preflight preparation and his failure to maintain control of the helicopter.
NTSB analysis
The pilot stated that he was taking off from a dolly for a track and balance maintenance flight. He said that while hover taxiing the right door blew open. Shortly thereafter, he noticed that his clipboard was about to fall out of the helicopter. He quickly tried to transfer his left hand to the cyclic so that he could use his right hand to stop the clipboard from falling. He said that he put in too much aft cyclic and the tail guard struck the ground. Examination by a FAA inspector revealed that the tail boom was buckled. The pilot did not report any mechanical anomalies prior to the accident
Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for MIA08CA072 for the full record.
Event
- Date
- Mar 4, 2008
- Type
- Accident
- Place
- Linden, New Jersey
- Nearest airport
- Linden (LDJ)
- Highest injury
- None
- Weather
- Visual (VMC)
- Light
- Day
Eurocopter France AS350B1
- N-number
- N152TA
- Category
- Helicopter
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rule
- Part 91 (general aviation)
- Purpose of flight
- Flight test
From the NTSB aviation accident database: N-registered aircraft, events since 2008, data through Oct 28, 2026. The file is published monthly, so the latest weeks are incomplete and recent records can change. The official source is the NTSB aviation investigation search. CheckAero is independent and not affiliated with the NTSB.