# Accident 20100205027079A: Aerospatial AS350 B2 EC, El Paso, TX, February 5, 2010

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: February 5, 2010, 20:00 local time
- Place: El Paso, TX
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: NE6A
- Location: 32.1089° N, 105.9550° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.1089&lon=-105.9550&mi=10
- Aircraft: N157BC, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N157BC-2011-02-11) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aerospatiale AS350 B2 ECUREUIL (registry code 8680813, https://openairdocs.org/model/aerospatiale-as350-b2-ecureuil) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL-1SER (registry code 60030, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-1ser) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AEROSPATIAL AS350 B2 EC
- Reported engine: TURBOMECA ARRIEL 1SER
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 3
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 17,700 total, 20 in this make and model, 20 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN10FA113](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10FA113) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100205027079A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 CEN10FA113](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10FA113), Feb 6, 2010: Aerospatiale AS350 (N157BC), El Paso, TX, substantial damage, 3 fatal. Probable cause: The 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…

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.