# Accident 19991117031739A: Snias SA341G, El Paso, TX, November 17, 1999

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 17, 1999, 11:45 local time
- Place: El Paso, TX
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hovering
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: GRTL
- Location: 31.8408° N, 106.4306° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=31.8408&lon=-106.4306&mi=10
- Aircraft: N341G, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N341G-2021-09-04) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aerospatiale SA341G GAZELLE (registry code 8680610, https://openairdocs.org/model/aerospatiale-sa341g-gazelle) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Turbomeca ASTAZOU-111A (registry code 60007, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-astazou-111a) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SNIAS SA341G
- Reported engine: TMECA ASTAZOU3A
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 13,000 total, 1,000 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN00LA019](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN00LA019) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19991117031739A

## Narrative

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

(.19) ON NOVEMBER 17, 1999, APPROXIMATELY 1155 MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, AN AEROSPATIALE SA341G (GAZELLE) HELICOPTER, N341G, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED FOLLOWING IMPACT WITH TERRAIN WHILE HOVERING NEAR EL PASO, TEXAS.  THE AIRLINE TRANSPORT CERTIFICATED PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT IN THE HELICOPTER, WAS NOT INJURED.  THE HELICOPTER WAS OWNED BY THE PILOT, AND OPERATED BY BEAR HELICOPTERS, INC., UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91.  VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE LOCAL SURVEILLANCE FLIGHT WHICH ORIGINATED APPROXIMATELY 1.5 HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.  NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE WAS HOVERING APPROXIMATELY FIVE FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, AND THE HELICOPTER PERFORMED AN ADVERSE RIGHT ROLL WHILE THE HEADING REMAINED UNCHANGED.  THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE GROUND AND SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. (.4) THE PILOT SAID THAT HE SAW SOMETHING ON THE GROUND THAT HE WANTED TO OBSERVE.  HE WENT INTO A HOVER AT 5 FEET AGL.  THE PILOT SAID THAT WHEN HE INITIATED HIS DEPARTURE, THE HELICOPTER MADE AN UNCOMMANDED ROLL TO THE RIGHT CAUSING THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES TO HIT THE GROUND.  POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION AND TESTING OF THE THREE MAIN ROTOR BLADE SERVOS FOUND NO ANO MALIES WHICH MIGHT HAVE INITIATED AN UNCOMMANDED ROLL. THE HELICOPTER MANUFACTURER'S REPRESENTATIVE SAID THAT HE HAD NEVER HEARD OF AN UNCOMMANDED ROLL IN THIS MODEL OF AIRCRAFT.

## 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 DEN00LA019](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN00LA019), Nov 17, 1999: Aerospatiale SA341G (N341G), El Paso, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: An uncommanded flight control input for undetermined reasons resulting in rotor blade contact with the ground and subsequent loss of control.

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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