American Eurocopter CORP AS350B3 accident near Eagle Pass, Texas, October 23, 2013
On October 23, 2013 at about 8:00 pm local time, a 2012 American Eurocopter CORP AS350B3 (helicopter), registered N1CR, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Eagle Pass, Texas (Comanche Ranch 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 abnormal contact of the helicopter's skids with the landing surface, which resulted in a rollover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 23, 2013 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Eagle Pass, Texas · Comanche Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Eurocopter CORP AS350B3 B3e, built 2012
- Registration
- N1CR · registry record · serial 7316
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instructor pilot provided instruction to the private pilot and conducted practice autorotation landings. The instructor pilot demonstrated an autorotation and during the landing the helicopter slid on the skids for about 10-15 feet before the skids dug into the soft landing surface. The helicopter began to pitch nose down so both pilots applied aft cyclic and up collective. The helicopter continued to pitch nose down when the main rotor impacted the ground, which resulted in the helicopter rolling on its right side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor blades, fuselage, and tail boom. The instructor pilot reported no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Roll over during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › (general) › Effect on equipment
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,536 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 6,969 as pilot in command; 4,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 18, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 428 hours in all; 363 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 390 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 11, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 192 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 21, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 4,961 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca Arriel 2D (turboshaft); 192 hours total
- Operator: Friedkin Companies INC
The flight
- Departed from: 5TE0 Eagle Pass TX at 6:30 pm
- Destination: 5TE0 Eagle Pass TX
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from KUVA, 41 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.