AIRBUS HELICOPTERS AS 350 B3
Lordsburg, NM — October 17, 2014
Event Information
| Date | October 17, 2014 |
| Event Type | ACC |
| NTSB Number | CEN15TA017 |
| Event ID | 20141020X13547 |
| Location | Lordsburg, NM |
| Country | USA |
| Coordinates | 31.56972, -108.87389 |
| Highest Injury | MINR |
Aircraft
| Make | AIRBUS HELICOPTERS |
| Model | AS 350 B3 |
| Category | HELI |
| FAR Part | PUBU |
| Aircraft Damage | SUBS |
Conditions
| Light Condition | DAYL |
| Weather | VMC |
Injuries
| Fatal | 0 |
| Serious | 0 |
| Minor | 1 |
| None | 0 |
| Total Injured | 1 |
Event Location
Probable Cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate drift control and skid clearance from the ground during takeoff, which resulted in a dynamic rollover when the aft right skid contacted a rock.
Full Narrative
On October 17, 2014, about 1245 mountain daylight time, an Airbus Helicopters AS350B3 helicopter, N852BP, rolled over on its right side during takeoff near Lordsburg, New Mexico. The pilot sustained minor injuries and the helicopter sustained substantial damage. The helicopter was registered to the United States Department of Homeland Security and operated by the United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a public use flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed. The flight was originating at the time of the accident.
According to the CBP investigators, the helicopter departed from a level terrain area, drifted backward and the aft right skid contacted a rock, which was embedded in the ground and 10 inches of it was exposed. After contact, the helicopter hinged around a rock, the rotor blades impacted the ground and the helicopter rolled over to the right side. The fuselage was substantially damaged during the accident sequence.
At 1256, the automated weather observation at the Bisbee Douglas International Airport, Douglas/Brisbee, Arizona, located 38 miles west of the accident site, reported: calm wind, visibility 10 miles, clear sky, temperature 79° Fahrenheit (F), dew point 39° F, and altimeter setting 30.08 inches of mercury.
The CBP investigators examined the wreckage and determined that there were no anomalies with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Representatives from Airbus Helicopters downloaded and analyzed the data from the Vehicle Engine Multifunction Display (VEMD). All of the recorded failures were associated with the ground impact. The parameters associated with the failures and times of the failures did not indicate any preimpact anomalies.
About This NTSB Record
This aviation event was investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). NTSB investigates all U.S. civil aviation accidents to determine probable cause and issue safety recommendations to prevent future accidents.