American Eurocopter AS-350B accident near Ashcamp, KY
On June 8, 1999, an American Eurocopter AS-350B (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Ashcamp, KY. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- June 8, 1999
- Place
- Ashcamp, KY
- Aircraft
- American Eurocopter AS-350B · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 37.261°N, 82.429°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001212X19082
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On June 8, 1999, about 1114 eastern daylight time, an American Eurocopter AS-350B, N35AG, was destroyed when it struck wires and impacted terrain during the initial climb after takeoff, in Ashcamp, Kentucky. The certificated commercial pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the corporate flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. The helicopter was owned and operated by a mining company. According to a company employee, the helicopter was being used to transport two company employees and three other passengers to local job sites, to view "high wall" mining equipment. About 0930-1000, the helicopter departed the Tri-State/Milton J. Ferguson Field Airport, Huntington, West Virginia, with the pilot and the five passengers. The helicopter flew to a job site in Breathitt County, and then flew to the job site in Ashcamp, where it landed on the "Whitesburg Coal Level." The helicopter dropped off the five passengers, and then departed the landing area to refuel at the Pike County-Hatcher Field Airport, Pikeville, Kentucky. A witness who observed the accident stated, the helicopter lifted off and climbed in a shallow nose down attitude, heading north. The helicopter traveled for about a 1/4 mile and struck two electrical wires. He then observed a flash of light and heard a loud explosion. A witness who was one of the passengers on the inbound flight stated: "...I heard a loud crack, like an explosion behind me. I turned around and saw the helicopter drop with the tail section and rotor separated from
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate visual look out which resulted in an in-flight collision with wires.
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Browse: Kentucky
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
