Eurocopter AS 350 B2 accident near Enterprise, AL
On March 26, 2016, an Eurocopter AS 350 B2 (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Enterprise, AL. 4 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- March 26, 2016
- Place
- Enterprise, AL
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter AS 350 B2 · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 4 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 31.279°N, 85.971°W
- NTSB ID
- 20160326X80544
Official records · ERA16FA140
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Haynes Ambulance Communications Center Incoming Calls - Shelf Item: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
- Haynes Ambulance Dispatch Camera 1 (With Audio) - Shelf Item: Document (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On March 26, 2016, about 0018 central daylight time, a Eurocopter AS350 B2, N911GF, impacted trees and terrain near Enterprise, Alabama. The airline transport pilot, flight nurse, flight paramedic, and patient being transported were fatally injured. The helicopter, which was registered to Haynes Life Flight LLC and operated by Metro Aviation, Inc., was substantially damaged. The flight was operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135 as a helicopter air ambulance flight. Night instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed for the flight, which operated on a company visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan. The flight departed from a farm field near Goodman, Alabama, about 0017, and was destined for Baptist Medical Center Heliport (AL11), Montgomery, Alabama. According to the Coffee County Sheriff's Office, on March 25, 2016, about 2309, sheriff's deputies and the Enterprise Rescue Squad were dispatched to a motor vehicle accident (MVA) near Goodman, Alabama. A sheriff's deputy contacted Haynes Ambulance Communication Center (HCC) by cellular phone when he learned that the motor vehicle was overturned and that an unconscious victim was inside. According to communications records, HCC received the call from the deputy at 2319:10. The pilot of the helicopter, was notified at 2320:38. The helicopter, which was known as "Life Flight 2" and was based at the Troy Regional Medical Center, Troy, Alabama, departed Troy at 2326:57 and arrived at the landing zone (LZ) in a farm field adjacent to the MVA site at 2353:15. Witn
Probable cause
The pilot's decision to perform visual flight rules flight into night instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in loss of control due to spatial disorientation. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's self-induced pressure to complete the mission despite the weather conditions and the operator's inadequate oversight of the flight by its operational control center.
More accidents in AL
- Beech C99, Jul 10, 1991
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Browse: Alabama · 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.
