20050129001409A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Snias AS350B3 · Pilar, NM · January 29, 2005

Date: January 29, 2005 · 20:00 local
Place: Pilar, NM
Phase of flight: Normal Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: HEEA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N351LG
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN05LA053
Reported as: Snias AS350B3
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 6,200 total270 in this make and model60 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On January 29, 2005 at approximately 2000 MST, N351LG, a Eurocopter AS-350-B3, owned and operated by petroleum helicopters, inc., impacted terrain near Pilar, new Mexico. The flight was conducted under 14 CFR 91 during night visual meteorological conditions. The aircraft was substantially damaged and the commercial rated pilot received no injuries. The flight originated at espanola, new Mexico enroute to taos, new Mexico.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON JANUARY 29, 2005 AT APPROXIMATELY 2000 MST, N351LG, A EUROCOPTER AS-350-B3, OWNED AND OPERATED BY PETROLEUM HELICOPTERS, INC., IMPACTED TERRAIN NEAR PILAR, NEW MEXICO. THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR 91 DURING NIGHT VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE COMMERCIAL RATED PILOT RECEIVED NO INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT ESPANOLA, NEW MEXICO ENROUTE TO TAOS, NEW MEXICO.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB DEN05LA053Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPilar, NMthe pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter, and his improper use of night vision goggles (NVG). Contributing factors were the pilot's spatial disorientation, his self-induced pressure to return the helicopter to its home base, his lack of…Jan 30, 2005 · Substantial damage