Eurocopter AS350-B2 accident near Meadview, AZ
On August 10, 2001, an Eurocopter AS350-B2 (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Meadview, AZ. 6 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- August 10, 2001
- Place
- Meadview, AZ
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter AS350-B2 · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 6 fatal, 1 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 35.989°N, 113.983°W
- NTSB ID
- 20010820X01734
Official records · LAX01MA272
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
- Investigation page: status, final report and safety recommendations
Air traffic control records
- ATC 3 - Recorded Radar Study: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- ATC 3 - Los Angeles ARTCC NTAP Radar Data (Code 1200): Document (TXT), on ntsb.gov
- ATC 3 - Los Angeles ARTCC NTAP Radar Data (Primaries): Document (TXT), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
The Board's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/2004/AAB0402.pdf On August 10, 2001, about 1428 mountain standard time, a Eurocopter AS350-B2 helicopter, N169PA, operating as Papillon 34, collided with terrain during an uncontrolled descent about 4 miles east of Meadview, Arizona. The helicopter was operated by Papillon Airways, Inc., as an air tour flight under Code of Federal Regulations 14 (CFR) Part 135. The helicopter was destroyed by impact forces and a postcrash fire. The pilot and five passengers were killed, and the remaining passenger sustained serious injuries. The flight originated from the company terminal at the McCarran International Airport (LAS), Las Vegas, Nevada, about 1245 as a tour of the west Grand Canyon area with a planned stop at a landing site in Quartermaster Canyon. The helicopter departed the landing site about 1400 and stopped at a company fueling facility at the Grand Canyon West Airport (GCW). The helicopter departed the fueling facility at 1420 and was en route to LAS when the accident occurred. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed.
Probable cause
The pilot’s loss of control of the helicopter for undetermined reasons.
More accidents in AZ
- De Havilland DHC-6-300, Sep 27, 1989
- Cessna 402C, Jun 19, 1992
- Piper PA-31-350, Aug 17, 1983
- Piper PA-31-350, Feb 13, 1995
- Cessna 421C, Sep 2, 1995
Browse: Arizona · 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.
