# Accident 20080629844099A: Snias AS350B3, Ash Fork, AZ, June 29, 2008

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 29, 2008, 04:00 local time
- Place: Ash Fork, AZ
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: HEEA
- Location: 35.2172° N, 112.4913° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Ash Fork, AZ, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.2172&lon=-112.4913&mi=10
- Aircraft: N586AE, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N586AE-2012-03-08) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Eurocopter AS 350 B3 (registry code 8680954, https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-as-350-b3) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Turbomeca ARRIUS-2B series (registry code 60013, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arrius-2b-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: SNIAS AS350B3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 8,914 total, 154 in this make and model, 32 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20080629844099A

## Narrative

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

(-23) AT APPROXIMATELY 0310 ON 27 JUNE THE PILOT RECEIVED A TELEPHONE CALL FROM THE PHI COMMUNICATIONS CENTER PLACING HIM AND HIS CREW ON STANDBY FOR A MOTORCYCLE ACCIDENT ON US HIGHWAY 89, JUST SOUTH OF ASH FORK, AZ. AFTER PREPARING FOR THE PENDING FLIGHT, THE PILOT WAS AGAIN CONTACTED AT APPROXIMATELY 0315 THA THE FLIGHT WAS CLEARED TO LAUNCH. DEPARTURE TIME WAS APPROXIMATELY 0320 WITH AN ESTIMATED TIME ENROUTE OF 20 MINUTES TO THE SCENE. WEATHER AT TAKEOFF WAS CLEAR SKIES WITH UNRESTRICTED VISIBILITY. THE PILOT WAS FLYING WITH THE AID OF NIGHT VISION GOGGLES. AS THEY APPROACHED THE ACCIDENT SITE, EMERGENCY VEHICLES WERE VISIBLE AND THE PILOT MADE RADIO CONTACT WITH THE INCIDENT COMMANDER. ALTHOUGH THE PILOT INFORMED THE INCIDENT COMMANDER THAT THE HIGHWAY NEXT TO THE AMBULANCE APPEARED TO BE A SUITABLE LZ AND THAT HE WAS WILLING TO ATTEMPT A LANDING THERE, THE FIRE CHIEF PREFFERED THE AIRCRAFT TO LAND AT HIS PREDETERMINED LZ APPROXIMATELY 1.5 MILES AHEAD. THE LX HE HAD SELECTED WAS A SIDE ROAD JOINING HIGHWAY 89 FROM THE WEST AT A 90 DEGREE ANGLE. AFTER MAKING SEVERAL ORBITS OVER THE LZ, THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE FIRE CHIEF HAD PARKED HIS VEHICLE IN A POSITION CLOSE ENOUGH TO HIGHWAY 89, THAT FOR THEM TO LAND AT THE LZ FROM THE WEST OVER HIS VEHICLE, IN HIS OPINION, WOULD REQUIRE THEM TO MAKE A STEEPER THAN NORMAL APPROACH. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S STATEMENT, HE ELECTED A DIFFERENT APPROACH FROM THE NORTHWEST AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE INTO THE SAME LZ. THE APPROACH BEGAN OVER AN OPEN DIRT FIELD WITH SPARSE VEGETATION AND TOOK THE AIRCRAFT OVER THE DIRT FIELD, THEN A SMALL GRAVEL AREA PRIOR TO REACHING HIS INTENDED LZ WHICH WAS THE PAVED ROAD. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE BEGAN HIS APPROACH ABOUT 100 YARDS FROM THE LZ AND ABOUT 150 TO 200 FEET AGL. ABOUT HALF WAY INTO THE APPROACH HE REPORTS BEING SURPRISED BY THE AMOUNT OF DUST BEING CREATED BY THE ROTOR WASH. HE ALSO RECALLS MAKING THE COMMENT TO THE CREW, "I DON'T LIKE THIS VERY MUCH", AND INITIATED A GO AROUND. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, DUST FILLED ALMOST THREE FOURTHS OF THE WIND SCREEN AND HIS NEXT RECOLLECTION WAS OF THE AIRCRAFT CRASHING BEFORE GETTING OUT OF THE AIRCRAFT AND ASSISTING CREW MEMBER TO EXIT THE AIRCRAFT.   BLOCK 30, ALL OCCUPANTS SAFELY EVACUATED THE AIRCRAFT BUT THERE ARE NO ESCAPE SLIDES ON A HELICOPTER.

## NTSB investigation

None matched to this report by aircraft and date. Search the NTSB's own records: https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-main-public/basic-search

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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