What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On October 26, 2020, at 2337 MDT, a Eurocopter AS-350, N530H, privacy data omitted, lost visual ground references on its approach to Whiskey Creek Airport, Silver City, new Mexico (94E) while on a repositioning flight resulting in terrain impact at a low speed and a shallow angle of descent. Marginal visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The weather report from grant county airport (ksvc), located 8 miles south of the accident site, recorded 270555Z auto 00000KT 5SM ra SCT006 OVC013 03/02 A2989.
A VFR flight plan was filed. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. The commercially rated instrument pilot was using night vision goggles at the time. He sustained minor injuries. The flight originated at gila regional medical center, on October 26, 2020, at 2320.
In accordance with company policy regarding inclement weather, the pilot states that he was moving the helicopter from the hospital to a hangar at 94E. Just short of landing, he lost visual references resulting in controlled flight into terrain.
As the FAA filed it
ON OCTOBER 26, 2020, AT 2337 MDT, A EUROCOPTER AS-350, N530H, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, LOST VISUAL GROUND REFERENCES ON ITS APPROACH TO WHISKEY CREEK AIRPORT, SILVER CITY, NEW MEXICO (94E) WHILE ON A REPOSITIONING FLIGHT RESULTING IN TERRAIN IMPACT AT A LOW SPEED AND A SHALLOW ANGLE OF DESCENT. MARGINAL VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME. THE WEATHER REPORT FROM GRANT COUNTY AIRPORT (KSVC), LOCATED 8 MILES SOUTH OF THE ACCIDENT SITE, RECORDED 270555Z AUTO 00000KT 5SM RA SCT006 OVC013 03/02 A2989.
A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE COMMERCIALLY RATED INSTRUMENT PILOT WAS USING NIGHT VISION GOGGLES AT THE TIME. HE SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT GILA REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER, ON OCTOBER 26, 2020, AT 2320.
IN ACCORDANCE WITH COMPANY POLICY REGARDING INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE PILOT STATES THAT HE WAS MOVING THE HELICOPTER FROM THE HOSPITAL TO A HANGAR AT 94E. JUST SHORT OF LANDING, HE LOST VISUAL REFERENCES RESULTING IN CONTROLLED FLIGHT INTO TERRAIN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.