20080205833449A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Snias AS350B2 · South Padre Is, TX · February 5, 2008

Date: February 5, 2008 · 21:50 local
Place: South Padre Is, TX
Phase of flight: Low Level Operations
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: HDNA
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N911VA
NTSB investigation: NTSBDFW08FA062
Reported as: Snias AS350B2
Reported engine: TMECA ARRIEL1D
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 3
Pilot’s flight hours: 16,000 total1,100 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days

N911VARegistration cancelled Feb 9, 2009 · Eurocopter France AS350B2S/N 2588 · Built 1992 Airframe modelEurocopter France AS350B2 Engine modelTurbomeca ARRIEL-1D1Turbo-shaft

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) While the aircraft was enroute from harlingen, TX to south Padre island, TX to pick up a patient, the pilot stated that they were in the clouds and that they were going to have to abort the mission. Radar data shows the aircraft at 1000' entering a standard rate 180 degree turn left to the west followed immediately by a tight 360 degree turn to the right. At 2053, the weather reported at cameron county (9 miles west of the lz) was 010 sct, 014 ovc, and visibility 8 miles. At brownsville, TX (19 miles southwest of the lz) the weather was reported as 010 0VC with 9 miles visibility.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) WHILE THE AIRCRAFT WAS ENROUTE FROM HARLINGEN, TX TO SOUTH PADRE ISLAND, TX TO PICK UP A PATIENT, THE PILOT STATED THAT THEY WERE IN THE CLOUDS AND THAT THEY WERE GOING TO HAVE TO ABORT THE MISSION. RADAR DATA SHOWS THE AIRCRAFT AT 1000' ENTERING A STANDARD RATE 180 DEGREE TURN LEFT TO THE WEST FOLLOWED IMMEDIATELY BY A TIGHT 360 DEGREE TURN TO THE RIGHT. AT 2053, THE WEATHER REPORTED AT CAMERON COUNTY (9 MILES WEST OF THE LZ) WAS 010 SCT, 014 OVC, AND VISIBILITY 8 MILES. AT BROWNSVILLE, TX (19 MILES SOUTHWEST OF THE LZ) THE WEATHER WAS REPORTED AS 010 0VC WITH 9 MILES VISIBILITY.

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 DFW08FA062Accident · 3 fatalField investigationFinal reportS. Padre Island, TXThe pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control resulting in the helicopter impacting the water. Factors contributing to the accident were the pilot's inadvertent flight into instrument meteorological conditions, the low ceiling, dark night conditions, and…Feb 6, 2008 · Substantial damage