Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
San Elizario, Texas 79849
Tuesady, May 22, 2007 8:38 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The helicopter was reported to have been maneuvering at a low airspeed at an altitude of approximately 150 feet above the ground while on a patrol flight near an international border. Local authorities reported that the helicopter impacted a parked pickup truck in a nose-low attitude while in a right turn, coming to rest on its right side. Witnesses said that the helicopter "appeared to dip the nose-down and enter a spin to the right nearly straight down. One witness added that the helicopter appeared to have recovered from the spin and initiated a climb before it began to spin to the right again, impacting the ground in a near-vertical attitude. Other witnesses added that the engine appeared to be "screaming." A witness, who reported having experience as a helicopter mechanic, added that the engine was screaming, but that the rotor system sounded as though it was slowing down. One witness stated it sounded like it was sucking or chopping air. The recorded weather near the accident site was reported as winds from 260 degrees at 12 knots, visibility 10 statute miles, clear skies, temperature 23 degrees Celsius, dew point 1 degree Celsius, and a barometric pressure of 29.94 inches of Mercury. Density Altitude was computed to be 5,433 feet MSL, No discrepancies or pre-existing anomalies were found with the helicopter or the engine that could have precluded normal flight. A performance study was conducted to determine the controllability and maneuvering capabilities while operating in the flight environment during the assigned observation mission. The study concluded that at the approximate altitude of 150 feet AGL and an airspeed of 20-30 knots, may not have allowed sufficient time or altitude for the pilot to recover after the helicopter entered a vortex ring state, A fully developed vortex ring state is characterized by an unstable condition where the helicopter experiences uncommanded pitch and roll oscillations, has little or no cyclic authority, and achieves a descent rate which, if allowed to develop, may approach 6000 feet per minute. A vortex ring state may be entered during any maneuver that places the main rotor in a condition of high upflow and low forward airspeed
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's encounter with a vortex ring state and his inability to maintain control of the helicopter.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 5/22/2007 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 838 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | San Elizario |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 79849 |
| Event Date Year | 2007 |
| Event Date Month | 5 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 313445N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1061704W |
| Event Location Airport | -- |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | -- |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 851 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 300 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | KELP |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 3958 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 15 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 260 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.94 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 1 |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 24835 |
| NTSB Notification Source | NTSB Comm Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | May 22 2007 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 23 2008 5:09PM |
| User who most recently changed record | bowl |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Albuquerque , NM |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N851BP |
| NTSB Number | DFW07GA119 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Public Use |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | EUROCOPTER |
| Aircraft Model | AS 350 B3 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 3588 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 4961 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | 100 Hour |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 1 2007 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 42 |
| Airframe Hours | 3819 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | US BORDER PATROL AIR OPERATIONS |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 9C BUTTERFIELD TRAIL |
| Aircraft Owner City | EL PASO |
| Aircraft Owner State | TX |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 79906 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | US BORDER PATROL AIR OPERATIONS |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | 9C BUTTERFIELD TRAIL |
| Operator City | EL PASO |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 79906 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | KELP |
| Departure City | El Paso |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 655 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 20 2008 6:08PM |
| User who most recently changed record | gamw |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |