Aerospatiale AS 355 accident near Erwinna, PA
On October 17, 2012, an Aerospatiale AS 355 (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Erwinna, PA. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- October 17, 2012
- Place
- Erwinna, PA
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS 355 · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 40.528°N, 75.075°W
- NTSB ID
- 20121017X91940
Official records · ERA13FA026
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn October 17, 2012, at 0636 eastern daylight time, an Aerospatiale AS 355 F2, Canadian registration C-FXGM, operated by Catalyst Aviation LLC, was substantially damaged when it impacted trees and terrain shortly after takeoff from Brigham Heliport (4PN5), Erwinna, Pennsylvania. The airline transport pilot was fatally injured. Dark night instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The positioning flight, destined for Wings Field (LOM), Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, was conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. According to the operator, the pilot was scheduled to position the helicopter from 4PN5 to LOM, where after fueling; passengers would embark for a local pipeline patrol flight. The pilot reported to the operator his intent to depart from the heliport via a text message that was received at 0637. No further communications were received from the pilot. Several witnesses reported hearing the helicopter as it overflew their rural neighborhood about the time of the accident. The witnesses reported that it was not unusual to observe the accident pilot operating helicopters from the heliport in his backyard, particularly during his prior years of service as a State Police pilot. The witnesses reported that on the morning of the accident flight, the helicopter they heard sounded "abnormal." The witnesses generally described that the helicopter was low, loud, and that it sounded different than previous times they had heard helicopters departing the heliport. One witness, who happened to be looking
Probable cause
The pilot’s decision to depart under visual flight rules in dark night instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in subsequent spatial disorientation, uncontrolled descent, and impact with trees and terrain.
More accidents in PA
- Boeing B-737-300, Sep 8, 1994
- Boeing 757, Sep 11, 2001
- British Aerospace J-3101, May 21, 2000
- Bell UH-1N, May 29, 2008
- Beech A36, Jul 30, 1989
Browse: Pennsylvania · 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.
