Agusta Spa A109E accident near Santa Fe, NM

On June 10, 2009, an Agusta Spa A109E (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Santa Fe, NM. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.

Date

June 10, 2009

Place

Santa Fe, NM

Aircraft

Agusta Spa A109E · Helicopter

Injuries

2 fatal, 1 serious, 0 minor

Damage

Destroyed

Position

35.837°N, 105.741°W

NTSB ID

20090610X23159

Official records · CEN09PA348

• Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation

Air traffic control records

• Operations 2 and Human Performance 14 - Attachment 3A, Radio Communication Transcripts (Aden Hill Radio Calls): Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
• Operations 2 and Human Performance 14 - Attachment 3B, Radio Communication Transcripts (CAD-1, 911 Calls): Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
• Operations 2 and Human Performance 14 - Attachment 3C, Radio Communication Transcripts (CAD-2, 911 Calls): Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
• Operations 2 and Human Performance 14 - Attachment 3D, Radio Communication Transcripts (Local District Radio Dispatch Ca: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov

NTSB summary

The Safety Board’s full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/publictn/A_Acc1.htm. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-11/04. On June 9, 2009, about 2135 mountain daylight time, an Agusta S.p.A. A-109E helicopter, N606SP, impacted terrain following visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions near Santa Fe, New Mexico. The commercial pilot and one passenger were fatally injured; a highway patrol officer who was acting as a spotter during the accident flight was seriously injured. The entire aircraft was substantially damaged. The helicopter was registered to the New Mexico Department of Public Safety and operated by the New Mexico State Police (NMSP) on a public search and rescue mission under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 without a flight plan. The helicopter departed its home base at Santa Fe Municipal Airport, Santa Fe, New Mexico, about 1850 in visual meteorological conditions; instrument meteorological conditions prevailed when the helicopter departed the remote landing site about 2132.

Probable cause

The pilot's decision to take off from a remote, mountainous landing site in dark (moonless) night, windy, instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing to the accident were an organizational culture that prioritized mission execution over aviation safety and the pilot's fatigue, self-imposed pressure to conduct the flight, and situational stress. Also contributing to the accident were deficie

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Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.