Eurocopter AS-350-B3 accident near Brownsville, TN
On March 25, 2010, an Eurocopter AS-350-B3 (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Brownsville, TN. 3 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- March 25, 2010
- Place
- Brownsville, TN
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter AS-350-B3 · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 3 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 35.607°N, 89.195°W
- NTSB ID
- 20100325X93604
Official records · ERA10MA188
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Partial Transcription of Communications: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn March 25, 2010, about 0600 central daylight time (CDT), a Eurocopter AS350 B3, N855HW, impacted terrain near Brownsville, Tennessee. The certificated commercial pilot and two flight nurses were fatally injured; the helicopter was substantially damaged. The helicopter was registered to and operated by Memphis Medical Center Air Ambulance Service, doing business as Hospital Wing, under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a positioning flight. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the flight, which operated on a visual flight rules flight plan. The flight originated from Jackson-Madison County General Hospital Heliport (TN05), Jackson, Tennessee, about 0551 and was en route to Haywood County EMS Heliport (99TN), Brownsville, Tennessee. According to satellite tracking and witness interviews, the helicopter initially departed its home base (99TN) about 0426 and arrived in Parsons, Tennessee, about 0450 to pick up a patient. The helicopter departed Parsons about 0517 and arrived at TN05 to drop off the patient about 0534. The helicopter subsequently departed TN05 about 0551, and the last satellite contact occurred near the accident site about 0600. Satellite-recorded data indicated that the helicopter flew about 1,000 feet above mean sea level (msl) during the last flight segment until the last contact, when the helicopter's altitude indicated 752 feet msl (about 350 feet above ground level [agl]) and 105 miles per hour (mph). According to an oncoming shift pilot who started his duty about 0530, it was dark, cloudy, and l
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to attempt the flight into approaching adverse weather, resulting in an encounter with a thunderstorm with localized instrument meteorological conditions, heavy rain, and severe turbulence that led to a loss of control.
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Browse: Tennessee · 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.
