Narrative:

Flight testing newly installed cargo hook. On approach back into staging area at 150-200 ft AGL, hook inadvertently released, jettisoning the test load. Load fell about 150-200 ft into open field. No damage to aircraft or equipment, or property on the ground. Upon closer inspection it was found manual release cable was binding in belly clamps and manual release cable was not adjusted properly. The combination of both problems resulted in the inadvertent release of the load. The release happened 10 mins into the test flight. If I had just picked up the load and set it back down the problem would not have been found. This incident reinforces the need for a thorough and complete test flight of newly installed equipment.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN AS350B-2 HELI LOSES ITS TEST LOAD WHEN THE LIFT CABLE BINDS AND RELEASES THE LOAD ONTO THE ARPT SURFACE AT ITO, HI.

Narrative: FLT TESTING NEWLY INSTALLED CARGO HOOK. ON APCH BACK INTO STAGING AREA AT 150-200 FT AGL, HOOK INADVERTENTLY RELEASED, JETTISONING THE TEST LOAD. LOAD FELL ABOUT 150-200 FT INTO OPEN FIELD. NO DAMAGE TO ACFT OR EQUIP, OR PROPERTY ON THE GND. UPON CLOSER INSPECTION IT WAS FOUND MANUAL RELEASE CABLE WAS BINDING IN BELLY CLAMPS AND MANUAL RELEASE CABLE WAS NOT ADJUSTED PROPERLY. THE COMBINATION OF BOTH PROBS RESULTED IN THE INADVERTENT RELEASE OF THE LOAD. THE RELEASE HAPPENED 10 MINS INTO THE TEST FLT. IF I HAD JUST PICKED UP THE LOAD AND SET IT BACK DOWN THE PROB WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN FOUND. THIS INCIDENT REINFORCES THE NEED FOR A THOROUGH AND COMPLETE TEST FLT OF NEWLY INSTALLED EQUIP.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.