American Eurocopter AS350B3 N617GC

Summary

On 16 December 2024 at about 18:30 local time, a American Eurocopter AS350B3 registered N617GC, operated by Department of Homeland Security, was involved in an accident near Potrero, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause has been published yet; this accident is still under investigation.

Date

16 December 2024 at 18:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Potrero, California, United States

Coordinates

32.6522, -116.6242

Aircraft

American Eurocopter AS350B3

Registration

N617GC

Category

Helicopter

Year built

2009

Engines

1

Operator

Department of Homeland Security

Operating rule

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

San Diego → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR25FA062

1 person died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. The investigation is still open; a final report usually follows one to two years after the accident.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

On December 16, 2024, about 1030 Pacific standard time, an Airbus A350 B3 helicopter, N617GC, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Potrero, California. The pilot was fatally injured. The helicopter was operated as a public use flight. According to a representative of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the helicopter was scheduled for a routine aerial support mission. Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data from the Federal Aviation Administration showed that the helicopter departed Brown Field Municipal Airport, San Diego, California about 0856 on a westerly heading and subsequently began a climbing right turn to the north. At 1006:54, approximately 1,000 ft mean sea level (msl), the helicopter turned east and continued to climb as it gradually transitioned to a northeasterly heading. At 0933:59 the helicopter leveled off at approximately 5,800 ft msl and then turned southeast for approximately 7 minutes as it descended. At 0950:38, the helicopter reached 4,650 ft msl, and began another climb that would return it to an altitude of 5,800 ft msl over the next 14 minutes. At 1007:52, the helicopter made an extended left hand 360° turn, descended to about 4,600 ft msl and climbed again to about 5,600 ft msl. At 1021:58 the helicopter turned to the southwest and leveled off 4 minutes later at 4,300 ft msl. At 1029:26, in the next 49 seconds the helicopter made two S-turns as it descended from 4,200 ft to 3,100 ft msl. According to the Air Force Rescue Coordination Center, the emergency locator transmitter sent its first detection at 1030:34. Figure 1: ADS-B Flight track and accident site The helicopter came to rest on its left side in a field of dry brush on a magnetic heading of 309° at a field elevation of about 2,450 ft mean sea level. Three distinct ground scars were observed near the tailboom. A 4 foot long by 2 foot wide ground signature was located next to the outboard end of one of the main rotor blades. Another main rotor blade was resting within a second ground scar located approximately 1 foot forward of the first ground scar. A third ground scar was located about 6 inches away from the left horizontal stabilizer. All three main rotor blades remained attached to the rotor hub and were fractured at various points with broom strawing and fragmentation. The helicopter wreckage was retained for further examination.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.