You can contribute by submitting additional or updated information.
| Date: | Friday 11 January 2019 |
| Time: | 11:45 |
| Type: |  Eurocopter AS 350B2 Ecureuil |
| Owner/operator: | Air Evac Ems Inc |
| Registration: | N346AE |
| MSN: | 2946 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1996 |
| Total airframe hrs: | 11499 hours |
| Engine model: | Honeywell LTS-101-700D |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Substantial |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Ponca City Airport, OK (PNC/KPNC) -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Landing |
| Nature: | Ferry/positioning |
| Departure airport: | Ponca City, OK |
| Ponca City Airport, OK (PNC/KPNC) | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
| Confidence Rating: |  Accident investigation report completed and information captured |
The pilot and an air ambulance crewmember were repositioning the helicopter due to incoming inclement weather. About halfway into the flight, the front windshields were fogging over, and the pilot increased the demister. Upon reaching the destination, the pilot hovered near the company hangar; by this time, the windshields had completely fogged over. The crewmember warned the pilot that he was getting close to the hangar, which was on the helicopter's left side. The pilot felt that he was high enough off the ground to move the helicopter several feet to the right, but the right skid was too low and contacted the ground, which resulted in a dynamic rollover. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the rotor blades, fuselage, and tailboom.
Based on the available information, the dynamic rollover was a result of the pilot's failure to maintain altitude during the hover operation with a fogged-over windshield.
Probable Cause: The pilot's failure to maintain altitude during the hover operation while his view was obstructed due to the fogged-over windshield.
Accident investigation:
 |
|
Sources:
NTSB
Location
Media:
Here is a picture of the air medical helicopter that had an "incident" while repositioning at the Ponca City Airport. pic.twitter.com/n4dIXn1IgN
— Phil Cross (@philsnews) January 11, 2019
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 12-Jan-2019 07:21 | gerard57 | Added |
| 12-Jan-2019 09:28 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Aircraft type, Embed code, ] |
| 12-Jan-2019 11:24 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Source, Embed code, Narrative, ] |
| 12-Jan-2019 11:27 | Aerossurance | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Location, Phase, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, ] |
| 12-Jan-2019 11:31 | Aerossurance | Updated [Registration, Cn, Source, Embed code, Narrative, ] |
| 12-Jan-2019 11:32 | Iceman 29 | Updated [Registration, Operator, Source, Damage, Narrative, ] |
| 12-Jan-2019 12:03 | RobertMB | Updated [Registration, Narrative, ] |
| 12-Jan-2019 12:03 | RobertMB | Updated [Narrative, ] |
| 13-Jan-2019 08:20 | IsabellaBaerbiero | Updated [Nature, Departure airport, Narrative, ] |
| 13-Jan-2019 08:20 | harro | Updated [Operator, Damage, Narrative, ] |
| 03-Jul-2020 12:39 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative, Accident report, ] |
Corrections or additions? ... Edit this accident description
The Aviation Safety Network is an exclusive service provided by:
Quick Links:
| ASN Home | Send Correction / Feedback |
| FSF Home | Disclaimer | Copyright |
| Contact Us | Privacy Policy |
| Press / Media |
CONNECT WITH US:
©2025 Flight Safety Foundation