# Accident 20240111001379A: Eurocopter AS 350 B2, Brackettville, TX, January 11, 2024

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 11, 2024, 19:27 local time
- Place: Brackettville, TX
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Climb
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 29.1593° N, 100.4986° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.1593&lon=-100.4986&mi=10
- Aircraft: N204TX, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N204TX-2025-12-29) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Eurocopter AS 350 B2 (registry code 8680950, https://openairdocs.org/model/eurocopter-as-350-b2) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL-1D1 (registry code 60053, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-1d1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: EUROCOPTER AS 350 B2
- Reported engine: TURBOMECA ARRIEL 1D1
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 768 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN24LA088](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA088) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240111001379A

## Narrative

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

ON JANUARY 11, 2024, AT APPROXIMATELY 1959 CST, AN ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^HELICOPTER UTILIZED THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURE “AUTOROTATION” AND LANDED HARD WITH RESULTING BREAKUP DUE TO G FORCES.  THE SEQUENCE OF EVENTS STARTED WHEN THE CREW MADE THE DECISION TO HEAD BACK TO THEIR BASE FROM THE ASSISTANCE THEY WERE PROVIDING TO A GOVERNMENT AGENCY.  THIS WAS INITIATED WHEN THE PIC BEGAN A CLIMB FOR THE SHORT RETURN FLIGHT.  THE CREW EXPERIENCED A LARGE RIGHT YAWING MOTION, WHILE SIMULTANESOULY GETTING THE LOW ROTOR SPEED HORN AND ENGINE CAUTION LIGHT.  THIS WAS THE BEGINING OF THE AUTOROTATION AND THE RESULTING ACCIDENT.

THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS TRANSPORTED TO A HANGAR ON A NEARBY AIRPORT AND SECURED.  ARRANGEMENTS WERE MADE FOR A SUPERVISED TEARDOWN.  THIS RESULTED IN MANY THINGS BEING RULED OUT, BUT NO CLEAR CAUSE.  THE WHOLE ENGINE WAS TRANSPORTED TO THE MANUFACTURE'S FACILITY WHERE IT UNDERWENT A TEST RUN.  DURING THIS RUN THE ENGINE WOULD NOT MAKE MORE THAN 45% NG.  THE ACCIDENT FUEL CONTROL UNIT (FCU) WAS REMOVED AND REPLACED WITH A KNOWN GOOD UNIT AND THE RUN WAS REPEATED.  THE ENGINE PERFORMED PROPERLY ON THIS TEST.  THE ACCIDENT FCU WAS THEN DISASSEMBLED AND THE BROKEN CONTROL LEVEL ARM WAS DISCOVERED.  THE BROKEN PART WAS SENT TO THE NTSB LABORTORY IN WASHING D.C. WERE IT UNTERWENT ANALYSIS WHICH REVEALED FATIGUE FAILURE.

## 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 CEN24LA088](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN24LA088), Jan 12, 2024: Eurocopter AS 350 B2 (N204TX), Spofford, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The fatigue failure of the fuel control unit control lever arm, which resulted in fuel starvation, and a loss of engine power.

## Other reports on N204TX (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Incident 20190411011309I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20190411011309I), Apr 11, 2019: Eurocopter AS 350 B2 (N204TX), El Paso, TX, No damage. On April 11, 2019, at 2205 MST, a Eurocopter as 350 B2, N204TX, registered to the Texas department of public safety, was illuminated with a high intensity…

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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