Loss of control Accident Eurocopter AS 350B2 AStar N935EM,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 156538
 
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Date:Tuesday 11 June 2013
Time:18:30
Type:Silhouette image of generic AS50 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Eurocopter AS 350B2 AStar
Owner/operator:EagleMed LLC
Registration: N935EM
MSN: 7427
Year of manufacture:2012
Total airframe hrs:522 hours
Engine model:Turbomeca ARRIEL 1D1
Fatalities:Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 4
Aircraft damage: Substantial
Category:Accident
Location:Choctaw Indian Hospital Heliport, Talihina, OK -   United States of America
Phase: Take off
Nature:Ambulance
Departure airport:Talihina, OK (OK35)
Destination airport:Tulsa, OK (4OK3)
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
The emergency medical service helicopter had been parked for more than an hour on a paved road next to a hospital. Immediately before takeoff during the predeparture safety briefing, the pilot discussed with the medical crew the 20-ft-tall metal lamp post to the helicopter's immediate left front. However, the pilot did not mention the 40-ft-tall metal lamp post that was 175 ft ahead of the helicopter and on the left side of the roadway. During takeoff, while traveling forward and following the center of the 25-ft-wide paved road, the helicopter's rotating main rotor blades impacted the 40-ft-tall lamp post about 24 ft above its base. The pilot was unable to maintain control of the helicopter, and the helicopter impacted the ground and came to rest on its right side about 230 ft from the takeoff point. The pilot reported that during the takeoff and before impact, he never saw the 40-ft-tall lamp post.
Probable Cause: The helicopter pilot's failure to see and avoid the 40-ft-tall lamp post during takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's inadequate preflight evaluation of the obstructions in the takeoff path.


Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: CEN13FA344
Status: Investigation completed
Duration:
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB
FAA register: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=935EM

Location

Media:

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
12-Jun-2013 01:55 gerard57 Added
12-Jun-2013 05:55 harro Updated [Aircraft type, Departure airport, Embed code]
12-Jun-2013 16:20 Geno Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Location, Departure airport, Source, Embed code]
29-Mar-2015 09:29 Aerossurance Updated [Source, Narrative]
09-Sep-2015 20:15 Aerossurance Updated [Source]
27-Sep-2015 07:57 Aerossurance Updated [Source, Narrative]
24-Sep-2016 07:47 Aerossurance Updated [Aircraft type, Location]
30-Nov-2016 20:49 Aerossurance Updated [Aircraft type]
21-Dec-2016 19:28 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
29-Nov-2017 08:47 ASN Update Bot Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Embed code, Narrative]

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