Eurocopter AS350BA accident near La Gloria, TX
On June 5, 1998, an Eurocopter AS350BA (helicopter) was involved in an accident near La Gloria, TX. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- June 5, 1998
- Place
- La Gloria, TX
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter AS350BA · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 26.581°N, 98.520°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001211X10290
Official records · FTW98FA256
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On June 5, 1998, at 0549 central daylight time, a Eurocopter AS350BA medical ambulance helicopter, N911VA, was destroyed upon impact with trees and terrain near La Gloria, Texas. The instrument rated commercial pilot and two medical technicians on board the helicopter were fatally injured. The helicopter was owned by Metro Aviation of Shreveport, Louisiana, and operated by Tex-Air Helicopters of Houston, Texas. Dark night visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 positioning flight for which a company VFR flight plan was filed. The flight departed from a heliport near Harlingen, Texas, at 0514, with a location known as Humble Kelsey, located approximately 8 nautical miles to the northeast of La Gloria along Highway 755, as its intended destination. The helicopter was dispatched to pick up and transport the driver of an 18-wheeler tanker truck, who had been seriously injured when he lost control of his truck while driving in reduced visibility on Highway 755. The pilot was not provided the coordinates of the truck accident site; however, he was familiar with the town of La Gloria, Texas, which he planned to use as the initial point for locating Highway 755 prior to proceeding northeast bound towards Humble Kelsey to pick up the injured truck driver. The helicopter, operating under the call sign "Air Care One," departed its home base heliport with 1 hour and 55 minutes of fuel on board. At 0529, the pilot reported to his dispatcher that the flight was en route over the Edinburg Airport, estimating arrival at th
Probable cause
the pilot's continued flight into adverse weather conditions resulting in a loss of control due to spatial disorientation. Contributing factors were the dark night illumination, the lack of visual cues, the pilot's lack of total instrument time, and the pressure induced by the medical emergency to complete the medical evacuation.
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Browse: Texas · Eurocopter aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
