# Accident 20201026022149A: American Eurocopter LLC AS350B3, Silver City, NM, October 26, 2020

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 26, 2020, 23:37 local time
- Place: Silver City, NM
- Airport: Whiskey Creek
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 32.7694° N, 108.2117° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.7694&lon=-108.2117&mi=10
- Aircraft: N530H, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N530H) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: American Eurocopter AS350B3 (registry code 1145002, https://openairdocs.org/model/american-eurocopter-as350b3) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL-2B1 (registry code 60056, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-2b1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AMERICAN EUROCOPTER LLC AS350B3
- Reported engine: TURBOMECA ARRIEL 2B1
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 4,500 total, 2,500 in this make and model, 80 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR21LA027](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA027) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20201026022149A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 WPR21LA027](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR21LA027), Oct 27, 2020: American Eurocopter AS350B3 (N530H), Silver City, NM, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient altitude above terrain while operating in reduced visibility due to snow showers.

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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