# Accident 19990317045589A: Snias AS350B2, Gomex, March 17, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 17, 1999, 13:05 local time
- Place: Gomex
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: HEEA
- Aircraft: N6100R, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N6100R-2001-03-29) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Eurocopter AS 350 B2 ECUREUIL (registry code 8680951, https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-as-350-b2-ecureuil) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SNIAS AS350B2
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB FTW99FA094](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99FA094) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19990317045589A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23)DURING TAKEOFF FROM AN OFFSHORE HELIPORT THE AIRCRAFT LOST CONTROL AND HIT THE HELIPORT STRUCTURE. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED UPSIDE DOWN IN THE WATER WITH THE PILOT AND FRONT PASSENGER INJURED AND TWO FATALLY INJURED PASSENGERS IN THE AFT SEATS OF THE CABIN.  THE LOSS OF CONTROL IS SUSPECTED DUE TO THE AIRCRAFT LEFT SKID SPRING BECOMING WEDGED UNDER A REMOVABLE ACCESS PLATE HANDLE LOCATED ON THE OFFSHORE HELIPORT DURING TAKEOFF.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB FTW99FA094](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW99FA094), Mar 17, 1999: Eurocopter AS-350-B2 (N6100R), Eugene Is. 193, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: the loss of control as a result of the spring-steel extension becoming entangled with the hatch door handle during takeoff. A contributing factor was the flat design of the spring-steel extension.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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