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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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NTSB Report

March 5, 1992 · Aerospatiale AS-350D · N350AH

Ft. Grant, AZ

Overview

Report Status
Probable Cause
Event Type
Accident
Date
March 5, 1992
Injury Outcomes
3 injuries (2 fatalities, 1 serious injury)
Location
Ft. Grant, AZ
Aircraft
Aerospatiale AS-350D
Tail Number
N350AH
Operator
Southwest Helicopters
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
LAX92FA136

After receiving the request for a medical evacuation mission, the crew checked weather with an FAA FSS to determine if the mission would be accepted. Ground clutter on the weather radar prevented a complete weather brief for enroute mountainous areas. The pilot got weather for his departure point. The pilot told FSS '...I think I can meander my way through the mountains on that one.' The pilot accepted the mission. After takeoff the pilot was told by FAA departure control there was 'weather' on his route of flight 'but the intensity is unknown.' Radar service was terminated and the crew continued. The surviving crewmember stated that as the flight progressed, everything got 'black.' He said he could not see outside the aircraft. He said about 5 minutes before the crash, the pilot told the crew '...we are going inadvertent.' Meaning, they were going into the clouds and he would be flying by instruments. The survivor said he heard the 'altitude buzzer,' followed by the impact.

NTSB Probable Cause

1) THE PILOT INADEQUATELY EVALUATING THE ENROUTE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND, 2) THE PILOT MAKING THE INFLIGHT DECISION TO CONTINUE VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. FACTORS IN THIS ACCIDENT WERE THE INABILITY OF THE PILOT TO SEE THE MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN DUE TO THE AMBIENT LIGHT CONDITIONS, CLOUDS, AND SNOW.

Full Narrative

AFTER RECEIVING THE REQUEST FOR A MEDICAL EVACUATION MISSION, THE CREW CHECKED WEATHER WITH AN FAA FSS TO DETERMINE IF THE MISSION WOULD BE ACCEPTED. GROUND CLUTTER ON THE WEATHER RADAR PREVENTED A COMPLETE WEATHER BRIEF FOR ENROUTE MOUNTAINOUS AREAS. THE PILOT GOT WEATHER FOR HIS DEPARTURE POINT. THE PILOT TOLD FSS '...I THINK I CAN MEANDER MY WAY THROUGH THE MOUNTAINS ON THAT ONE.' THE PILOT ACCEPTED THE MISSION. AFTER TAKEOFF THE PILOT WAS TOLD BY FAA DEPARTURE CONTROL THERE WAS 'WEATHER' ON HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT 'BUT THE INTENSITY IS UNKNOWN.' RADAR SERVICE WAS TERMINATED AND THE CREW CONTINUED. THE SURVIVING CREWMEMBER STATED THAT AS THE FLIGHT PROGRESSED, EVERYTHING GOT 'BLACK.' HE SAID HE COULD NOT SEE OUTSIDE THE AIRCRAFT. HE SAID ABOUT 5 MINUTES BEFORE THE CRASH, THE PILOT TOLD THE CREW '...WE ARE GOING INADVERTENT.' MEANING, THEY WERE GOING INTO THE CLOUDS AND HE WOULD BE FLYING BY INSTRUMENTS. THE SURVIVOR SAID HE HEARD THE 'ALTITUDE BUZZER,' FOLLOWED BY THE IMPACT.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time19:15 MST
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledCvfr
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftAerospatiale AS-350D
Tail NumberN350AH
Aircraft CategoryHeli
DamageDestroyed
OperatorSouthwest Helicopters
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeTurboshaft
Engine DetailsLycoming · LTS 101-600A3 · Turboshaft · 615
Seats6

People & Injuries

Injury Summary3 injuries (2 fatalities, 1 serious injury)
Fatal2
Serious1
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total3
Crew 1Age 32 · First Class

Conditions

ConditionsIMC
LightDark Night
WindCalm
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point0 C / 0 C
Altimeter0
Weather SourceWIT

Appendix: Source Data