Agusta Spa A109E accident near Eastland, TX
On September 30, 2012, an Agusta Spa A109E (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Eastland, TX. 3 people were seriously injured. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- September 30, 2012
- Place
- Eastland, TX
- Aircraft
- Agusta Spa A109E · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 0 fatal, 3 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 32.379°N, 94.580°W
- NTSB ID
- 20121005X85658
Official records · CEN12FA670
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On September 30, 2012, approximately 0932 central daylight time, an Augusta 109E Emergency Medical Service (EMS) helicopter, N144CF, registered to Wells Fargo Bank NW NA Trustee, Salt Lake City, Utah, crashed after an uneventful 26 minute cross-country flight. The crash occurred while the helicopter was being maneuvered to avoid local weather prior to setting up for an instrument approach to the Eastland Airport, Eastland, Texas. All three occupants, the airline transport rated pilot, flight nurse, and a flight paramedic, sustained serious injuries. The flight was being operated by CareFlite of Grand Prairie, Texas, and was conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 as a repositioning flight to pick up a patient. The helicopter departed the CareFlite base located at Granbury Airport (GDJ), Granbury, Texas, at 0906. Its intended destination was the Eastland Airport (ETN), Eastland, Texas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed along the route of flight from Granbury to Eastland, however, marginal visual meteorological conditions or instrument conditions were reported in the vicinity of the accident site. A company VFR flight plan was activated upon departure from Granbury and an IFR flight plan was placed on file with ATC, but was not activated. According to first responders to the accident site, the helicopter impacted the ground in an open field, approximately 4.4 miles south of Eastland Airport. Emergency responders transported the occupants to a nearby hospital. The helicopter was transported to a secure facility for detailed examination. Flig
Probable cause
The loss of helicopter control after an in-flight upset, which occurred when the pilot selected the autopilot’s altitude hold mode; the reason for the reported in-flight control anomaly could not be determined during postaccident helicopter examinations. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's delay in transitioning to instrument flight rules flight before entering instrument meteorological c
More accidents in TX
- Kubicek BB85, Jul 30, 2016
- Robertson C-414, Jul 29, 1982
- Textron Aviation B-300, Jun 30, 2019
- Beech B100, Nov 26, 1983
- Consolidated-Vultee PBY-6A, Oct 13, 1984
Browse: Texas
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
