Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Easton Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Eastland, Texas 75641
Sunday, September 30, 2012 9:32 CDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
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, aproximately 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 examination.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
Not Yet Reported
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/30/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 932 |
| Event Time Zone | Central Daylight Time |
| Event City | Eastland |
| Event State | TEXAS |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 75641 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 323305N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0985705W |
| Event Location Airport | Easton |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | ETN |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 4.4 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 1468 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Witness |
| Time of the weather observation | 935 Central Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 35 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | SEP |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1321 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 160 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | CDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 19 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 17 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 350 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 15 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 19 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.94 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | KSEP 301435Z AUTO 35015G19KT 10SM OVC010 19/17 A29 |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | 3 |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | -- |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 14 2012 5:35PM |
| User who most recently changed record | lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N144CF |
| NTSB Number | CEN12FA670 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | Company VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | AGUSTA SPA |
| Aircraft Model | A109E |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 11144 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | 2 |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 8 |
| Number of Engines | 2 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | AAIP |
| Date of Last Inspection | Sep 27 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 5401 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | WELLS FARGO BANK NORTHWEST NA TRUSTEE |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 12TH FL MAC U1228-120 |
| Aircraft Owner City | SALT LAKE CITY |
| Aircraft Owner State | UT |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 84111-1919 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | CareFlite |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | 3110 S Great Southwest pkwy |
| Operator City | Grand Prairie |
| Operator State | TX |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 75052 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | Yes - certificate holder |
| 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 | Non-scheduled |
| Indicates Domestic or International Flight | Domestic |
| Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail | Passenger Only |
| Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) | -- |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | GDJ |
| Departure City | Granbury |
| Departure State | TX |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 906 |
| Departure Time Zone | CDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | ETN |
| Destination City | Eastland |
| Destination State | TX |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Dec 14 2012 5:36PM |
| User who most recently changed record | lema |
| 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 | Yes |
| Medical Flight | Medical Emergency |