# Accident 20140623018259A: Eurocopter France AS350B2, Texarkana, TX, June 23, 2014

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 23, 2014, 14:00 local time
- Place: Texarkana, TX
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: 7EMA
- Location: 33.5356° N, 94.1925° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.5356&lon=-94.1925&mi=10
- Aircraft: N407EM (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: EUROCOPTER FRANCE AS350B2
- Reported engine: HONEYWELL LTS101
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 2,226 total, 744 in this make and model, 69 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN14LA312](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA312) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20140623018259A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 CEN14LA312](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN14LA312), Jun 23, 2014: Airbus Helicopters AS-350B2 (N407EM), Texarkana, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The failure of the two fuel control unit drive bearings for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence, which resulted in an uncommanded engine acceleration and subsequent…

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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