Aerospatiale AS350-B2 N840BP

Summary

On 12 January 2006 at about 22:00 local time, a Aerospatiale AS350-B2 registered N840BP was involved in an accident near Eagle Pass, Texas, United States. One person was on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 January 2006 at 22:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Eagle Pass, Texas, United States

Coordinates

28.7178, -100.6064

Aircraft

Aerospatiale AS350-B2

Registration

N840BP

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Del Rio → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DFW06TA054

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the unmarked transmission lines. A factor was the pilot's diverted attention while monitoring ground activity.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The 1,672 hour commercial pilot departed the operations base near the border on a routine patrol of the Rio Grande River dividing the two countries. Upon reaching the limits of his search area he reversed course to return to home base. On the return leg he decided to search an area where he had noticed two law enforcement airboats operating north of the port of entry. The pilot reported on the Pilot/Operator Accident Report Form (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), that he recalled seeing two sets of power lines on the outbound leg of his patrol. After crossing the first set of power lines and locating the airboats he began a turn to orbit the boats. The pilot added that when he looked up and saw that he was about to hit the second set of wires, he instinctly initiated a cyclic climb to clear the wires; however, the maneuver was initiated too late and the tail rotor impacted the wires resulting in the separation of the tail rotor gear box, tail rotor assembly, and vertical fin. The pilot managed to keep the helicopter in controlled flight and elected to execute an autorotation to a clearing. The helicopter made a successful autorotation and landed upright in the middle of the river, 853 feet from the point of the wire strike. The helicopter came to rest in about 3 feet of water, and the pilot performed an emergency engine shutdown and egressed through the pilot door with assistance from the crews of the airboats.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.