08/31/2007. Remarks by Johan Visschedijk: "This helicopter was produced in 1981 as an AS 350B. On
April 4, 1994, while owned and operated by Turbowest Helicopters, the
helicopter was substantial damaged.
Transferring a patient from an accident site to a ground vehicle for
transport to a hospital, the helicopter lost suddenly power. The
pilot made a "run on" autorotation and landing in the only available
clearing, struck some tress and made a sliding impact with the ground.
By the time the helicopter came to rest on its left side, a large
section of the tail boom, vertical fin, and tail rotor assembly was
torn off. The pilot and the flight engineer escaped unharmed, the
patient had no additional injuries to his dislocated knee.
The helicopter was rebuilt to an AS 350BA, indicating it was fitted
with transmission and rotor blades of the twin-engined AS 355,
increasing the take off gross weight from 4,300 lb (1,950 kg) to 4,630
lb (2,100 kg). On October 6, 2000, it was sold to Heli-Horizon."
Read the History Brief .