Aerospatiale AS350BA accident near Chico, CA
On September 23, 2001, an Aerospatiale AS350BA (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Chico, CA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- September 23, 2001
- Place
- Chico, CA
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS350BA · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 1 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 39.735°N, 121.850°W
- NTSB ID
- 20011002X02023
Official records · LAX01LA304
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Transcript of Radio Communications: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On September 22, 2001, at 2006 Pacific daylight time, an Aerospatiale AS350BA helicopter, N911NT, collided with trees after an aborted landing, and came to rest on its side at a ballpark in Butte Meadows, Chico, California. The helicopter, owned and operated by the Enloe Medical Center, was destroyed in the impact sequence. The commercial pilot was fatally injured; one flight nurse sustained serious injuries; and the other flight nurse was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight that had departed the Enloe Medical Center at 1947 as a positioning flight under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 to pickup a traffic accident victim for transport to the hospital. A company visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan had been filed. The flight was scheduled to terminate at the hospital. According to dispatch records from the hospital, a call came into the hospital at 19:42:29, concerning an automobile accident. At 19:43:15, the flight crew went on standby page, and at 19:43:23, the flight crew received a "go" page. The flight departed from the hospital at 19:47:59, and arrived on scene at the ballpark at 20:05:04. Ground witnesses, who were assisting with landing, stated that the helicopter's approach appeared normal. About 30 feet above ground level (agl), their vision became obscured due to dust and dirt kicked up by the main rotor blades of the helicopter. Witnesses reported that because of the dirt and dust they did not see the impact sequence. However, they heard the engine power up, and depart towards the east, and then heard the imp
Probable cause
the pilot's inadequate in-flight decision and delay in initiating a go-around during an encounter with brown out conditions, which led to his failure to maintain alignment of the helicopter with the intended go-around flight path and a resulting collision with trees.
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Browse: California · Aerospatiale 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.
