Accident: Leonardo AW139
Sep 2, 2017 · Tujunga, CA
NTSB numberANC17LA051Event id20170908X51711
- 0
- Fatalities
- 0
- Serious injuries
- 0
- Minor injuries
- 2
- Uninjured
Probable cause
A yaw excursion and uncontrolled descent due to loss of tail rotor effectiveness during aerial firefighting operations resulting in an impact with trees. A contributing factor was the pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient airspeed, coupled with a quartering tailwind during aerial firefighting operations. An additional factor was the operator’s lack of guidance to the hazards associated with aerial firefighting operations near and around smoke columns.
Source: National Transportation Safety Board. Record last changed Oct 28, 2026, 10:54 UTC.
Aircraft involved
- Aircraft
- Leonardo AW139
- Registration
- N304FD
- Year built
- 2017
- Category
- Helicopter
- Damage
- Substantial
- Operating rules
- Public aircraft
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying Miscellaneous/other
Source: National Transportation Safety Board aviation accident database. Counts only; Voydar holds no names.
Nearest airports
Airports with a Voydar profile closest to the recorded position. Proximity only.
- Hollywood Burbank/Bob Hope Airport (BUR)4 nm (7 km) south-west
- Whiteman Airport (WHP)6 nm (10 km) west
- Van Nuys Airport (VNY)10 nm (18 km) west
This page restates the NTSB's public record. Injury figures are counts; Voydar does not hold or publish the names of anyone involved.