What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 23, 2014, about 1345 central daylight time, an Airbus helicopters AS-350B2, N407EM, was substantially damaged following an autorotation near Texarkana, Texas. The commercial pilot, two crew members, and passenger were not injured. The helicopter was registered to and operated by eaglemed LLC under the provisions of 14 code of federal regulations part 135 as emergency medical services flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on a visual flight rules flight plan. The flight originated from idabel, Oklahoma, about 1320, and was destined for Texarkana, Texas.
According to a statement provided by the pilot, the helicopter was in cruise flight about 1,000 feet above ground level and five minutes from landing at the destination hospital. The pilot noticed the helicopter?s rotor RPM rapidly increased with the associated high rotor aural warning. He attempted to troubleshoot the malfunction before deciding to perform an autorotation to a farm field. During the landing from the autorotation, the main rotors contacted and partially severed the tail boom resulting in substantial damage.
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 23, 2014, ABOUT 1345 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, AN AIRBUS HELICOPTERS AS-350B2, N407EM, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED FOLLOWING AN AUTOROTATION NEAR TEXARKANA, TEXAS. THE COMMERCIAL PILOT, TWO CREW MEMBERS, AND PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. THE HELICOPTER WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY EAGLEMED LLC UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 135 AS EMERGENCY MEDICAL SERVICES FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE FLIGHT, WHICH OPERATED ON A VISUAL FLIGHT RULES FLIGHT PLAN. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM IDABEL, OKLAHOMA, ABOUT 1320, AND WAS DESTINED FOR TEXARKANA, TEXAS.
ACCORDING TO A STATEMENT PROVIDED BY THE PILOT, THE HELICOPTER WAS IN CRUISE FLIGHT ABOUT 1,000 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL AND FIVE MINUTES FROM LANDING AT THE DESTINATION HOSPITAL. THE PILOT NOTICED THE HELICOPTER?S ROTOR RPM RAPIDLY INCREASED WITH THE ASSOCIATED HIGH ROTOR AURAL WARNING. HE ATTEMPTED TO TROUBLESHOOT THE MALFUNCTION BEFORE DECIDING TO PERFORM AN AUTOROTATION TO A FARM FIELD. DURING THE LANDING FROM THE AUTOROTATION, THE MAIN ROTORS CONTACTED AND PARTIALLY SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.