El Paso International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

El Paso, Texas 79925
Thursday, July 19, 1984 19:23 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE AND DOWNDRAFTS DURING LANDING. THE ACFT IMPACTED THE ASPHALT RAMP SLIGHTLY NOSE LOW AND BOUNCED 2-3 FT INTO THE AIR. THE NOSE DIPPED MORE AND FULL AFT CYCLIC WAS APPLIED. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES HIT THE GROUND AND THE ACFT YAWED AND ROLLED OVER TO THE RIGHT. THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED BY FIRE. THE PLT STATED THAT HE EXPERIENCED TURBULENCE AND AS HE TURNED TOWARD THE RAMP TO LAND THE ACFT BEGAN A RAPID DESCENT FROM 50 FT AGL. A LITTLE COLLECTIVE WAS ADDED BUT THE ACFT DID NOT RESPOND. THE PLT TURNED FAST INTO THE WIND AND ADDED FULL UP COLLECTIVE. THE DESCENT CONTINUED TO IMPACT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/19/1984
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1923
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City EL PASO
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 79925
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 7
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport EL PASO INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 3956
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1931 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID ELP
Elevation of weather observation facility 3956
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 6000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 18
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1236
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 25101
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N240US
NTSB Number FTW84LA314
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AEROSPATIALE
Aircraft Model AS-355F
Aircraft Series Identifier AS-355F
Aircraft Serial Number 5121
Certified Max Gross Weight 4200
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 7
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 16 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 5
Airframe Hours 362
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AIR LOGISTICS INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 5C
Aircraft Owner City LAFAYETTE
Aircraft Owner State LA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 70505
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PEQ
Departure City PECOS
Departure State TX
Departure Country
Departure Time 1905
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --