20100205027079A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Aerospatial AS350 B2 EC · El Paso, TX · February 5, 2010

Date: February 5, 2010 · 20:00 local
Place: El Paso, TX
Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: NE6A
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N157BC
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN10FA113
Reported as: Aerospatial AS350 B2 EC
Reported engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL-1SER
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 3
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 17,700 total20 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

N157BCRegistration cancelled Feb 11, 2011 · Aerospatiale AS350 B2 ECUREUILS/N 2418 · Built 1990 Airframe modelAerospatiale AS350 B2 ECUREUIL Engine modelTurbomeca ARRIEL-1SERTurbo-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.

Pilot departed elp on a contract training mission required by DOD for a simulated med/evac operation. Mission consisted of enroute operation to unlighted lz, NVG approach to landing, and simulated p/u of patient with transport to another location. Witnesses state aircraft made two circuits of lz at altitude, made a steep right banked turn over the lz to maintain visual contact, pitched down at a 45 deg. Angle and crashed. Post impact fire destroyed aircraft. Crash resulted in three fatals.

As the FAA filed it

PILOT DEPARTED ELP ON A CONTRACT TRAINING MISSION REQUIRED BY DOD FOR A SIMULATED MED/EVAC OPERATION. MISSION CONSISTED OF ENROUTE OPERATION TO UNLIGHTED LZ, NVG APPROACH TO LANDING, AND SIMULATED P/U OF PATIENT WITH TRANSPORT TO ANOTHER LOCATION. WITNESSES STATE AIRCRAFT MADE TWO CIRCUITS OF LZ AT ALTITUDE, MADE A STEEP RIGHT BANKED TURN OVER THE LZ TO MAINTAIN VISUAL CONTACT, PITCHED DOWN AT A 45 DEG. ANGLE AND CRASHED. POST IMPACT FIRE DESTROYED AIRCRAFT. CRASH RESULTED IN THREE FATALS.

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 CEN10FA113Accident · 3 fatalField investigationFinal reportEl Paso, TXThe pilot's loss of situational awareness resulting in controlled flight into terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's unfamiliarity with the hazards of a low-contrast area while using night vision goggles.Feb 6, 2010 · Substantial damage