# NTSB CEN09WA370: Eurocopter AS350B2, Cubiri, Mexico, April 8, 2009

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Foreign investigation
- Date: April 8, 2009, 08:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place: Cubiri, Mexico
- Coordinates: 26.009445, -109.103614 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.0094&lon=-109.1036&mi=10
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 3 fatal
- Status: Led by another country's authority
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Lead agency: Other
- Parties: Turbomeca
- NTSB case key (mKey): 74096
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN09WA370
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/74096/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09WA370

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Enroute: Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120); cases with it: [All aircraft, 1,074 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120/sequence.md)

## Factual narrative

On April 8, 2009 at approximately 0800 pacific daylight time a Eurocopter single engine helicopter crashed in mountainous terrain after departing from the Culiacan International Airport, Sinaloa, Mexico. The mission was to take aerial photographs. Several hours later, the helicopter wreckage was located near the town of Cubiri near the highest mountain in the area. The pilot and the two passengers were killed and the helicopter was destroyed. The helicopter engine was secured and sent to Turbomeca Engines facility in Grand Prairie, Texas for further examination. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Mexico. This report is for information purposes only and contains only information released by the Government of Mexico. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Transportes (SCT) Direccion General de Aeronutica Civil (DGAC) Col. san Juan de Arrgon, 3-seccion Del. Venustiano Carrabza Mexico, D.F, Mexico c.p. 15620 Telephone: 55-2598-0138

## Aircraft

- Registration: XC-MIN (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: EUROCOPTER AS350B2
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 3236
- Engines: Turbomeca Arriel 1 turbo shaft
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Other work use, Non-U.S., non-commercial
- Operator: Servicio Geologico Mexicano
- Registered owner: Servicio Geologico Mexicano
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Departed: Cubiri
- Destination: Cubiri
- Flight plan: Unknown

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; seat: right

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Temperature: 68 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observed at: MMLM, 19 nm away

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.

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