Eurocopter AS 350 B2 accident near Hugo, Oklahoma, April 29, 2012
On April 29, 2012 at about 5:40 am local time, a Eurocopter AS 350 B2 (helicopter), registered N406EM, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (hover) near Hugo, Oklahoma (Stan Stamper Municipal Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inadequate collective control inputs while performing a hovering autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the check airman's delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 2012 · about 5:40 am local time
- Place
- Hugo, Oklahoma · Stan Stamper Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter AS 350 B2 · all AS 350 B2s on the register
- Registration
- N406EM · no longer on the register · serial 9042
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A check airman was giving the pilot-in-command (PIC) an annual check ride with night vision goggles in the emergency medical service helicopter. After a satisfactory slope landing, the PIC repositioned the helicopter to a flat area and performed a hovering autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing. The check airman then demonstrated a second hovering autorotation, and the PIC performed another hovering autorotation that was satisfactory. The check airman continued the annual check ride. After the flight, during a post-flight examination, substantial damage was discovered to the tail boom and the aft portion of the fuselage. The damage was consistent with a hard landing, presumably incurred during the first hovering autorotation in which the helicopter landed hard. In a statement provided to the NTSB, the check airman said that he should have guarded the collective more to limit the amount of control input during the practice autorotation maneuvers.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Abrupt maneuver during maneuvering (hover) defining event
- Hard landing during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot (unmanned)
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,700 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,500 as pilot in command; 1,200 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 19, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,960 hours in all; 760 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 5,560 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 15, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,530 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 25, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 4,961 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Honeywell LTS 101 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Eagle Med LLC
The flight
- Departed from: HHW Hugo OK at 5:26 am
- Destination: HHW Hugo OK
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 170° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 5:35 am from KPRX, 24 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.