Eurocopter France AS350B2 accident near Las Vegas, NV
On December 8, 2011, an Eurocopter France AS350B2 (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Las Vegas, NV. 5 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- December 8, 2011
- Place
- Las Vegas, NV
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter France AS350B2 · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 5 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 36.170°N, 115.119°W
- NTSB ID
- 20111208X52528
Official records · DCA12MA020
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
- Investigation page: status, final report and safety recommendations
Air traffic control records
- Maintenance 11 - Attachment 17 Check Pilot Transcript: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- Maintenance 11 - Attachment 18 Day Mechanic Transcript: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- Maintenance 11 - Attachment 19 Engine Mechanic Transcript: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- Maintenance 11 - Attachment 20 Tail Rotor Area Mechanic Transcript: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- Maintenance 11 - Attachment 21 Main Rotor Area Mechanic Initial Transcript: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
The Safety Board’s full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/reports_aviation.html. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-13/01. On December 7, 2011, about 1630 Pacific standard time, a Sundance Helicopters, Inc., Eurocopter AS350-B2 helicopter, N37SH, operating as a Twilight tour sightseeing trip, crashed in mountainous terrain about 14 miles east of Las Vegas, Nevada. The pilot and four passengers were killed, and the helicopter was destroyed by impact forces and postimpact fire. The helicopter was registered to and operated by Sundance as a scheduled air tour flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135. Visual meteorological conditions with good visibility and dusk light prevailed at the time of the accident, and the flight operated under visual flight rules. The helicopter originated from Las Vegas McCarran International Airport, Las Vegas, Nevada, about 1621 with an intended route of flight to the Hoover Dam area and return to the airport. The helicopter was not equipped, and was not required to be equipped, with any on board recording devices.
Probable cause
Sundance Helicopters’ inadequate maintenance of the helicopter, including (1) the improper reuse of a degraded self-locking nut, (2) the improper or lack of installation of a split pin, and (3) inadequate postmaintenance inspections, which resulted in the in-flight separation of the servo control input rod from the fore/aft servo and rendered the helicopter uncontrollable. Contributing to the impr
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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.
