Eurocopter AS350B accident near Sumner, GA
On July 24, 2000, an Eurocopter AS350B (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Sumner, GA. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- July 24, 2000
- Place
- Sumner, GA
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter AS350B · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 31.509°N, 83.740°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001212X21362
Official records · ATL00FA069
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- ATC Pilot Weather Briefs: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 24, 2000, about 0230 eastern daylight time, a Eurocopter AS350B, N911AM, registered to and operated by Critical Care Medflight, was destroyed when it collided with trees and the ground during cruise flight 2 miles east of Sumner, Georgia. The commercial pilot, one flight nurse and one flight paramedic were fatally injured. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a company visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the repositioning flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated from Savannah, Georgia, at 0100, with an intended destination of Sylvester, Georgia. According to the operator, the purpose of the air medical flight operating as LifeFlight 3 was to transport a patient from Coffee County Hospital in Douglas, Georgia, to St. Joseph's Hospital in Savannah, Georgia. After dropping off the patient, the flight was returning to the Worth County Baptist Hospital in Sylvester. At approximately 0227, the pilot contacted the LifeFlight dispatcher and reported a Global Position System (GPS) location 7 miles west/northwest of Tifton, Georgia. No further communication was received from the pilot. Witnesses in the sparsely populated local area stated that at about 0230 they heard the helicopter fly over their homes. They said that it was a dark night, the sky was clear of clouds and that the helicopter was low, maybe 400 to 500 feet above the ground. One witness stated that he watched the helicopter fly until out of site then heard a "pop sound" he said it sounded unusual and was not very loud. He woke the next
Probable cause
The pilot experienced spatial disorientation, which resulted in a loss of control of the helicopter. Contributing factors was the dark night.
More accidents in GA
- Embraer EMB-120RT, Apr 5, 1991
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Browse: Georgia · 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.
