Airbus Helicopters AS-350B2 accident near Texarkana, Texas, June 23, 2014
On June 23, 2014 at about 6:45 pm local time, a 1986 Airbus Helicopters AS-350B2, registered N407EM, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Texarkana, Texas. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the two fuel control unit drive bearings for reasons that could not be determined based on the available evidence, which resulted in an uncommanded engine acceleration and subsequent overspeed condition. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 2014 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Texarkana, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Airbus Helicopters AS-350B2, built 1986 · all AS-350B2s on the register
- Registration
- N407EM · no longer on the register · serial 1906
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot and two flight crewmembers were conducting an emergency medical services flight. The helicopter was in cruise flight when the pilot noticed that the rotor rpm had rapidly increased and that the high rotor aural warning had sounded. Despite troubleshooting efforts, the pilot was unable to reduce the rotor rpm, so he performed on autorotation to a field. During the subsequent run-on landing, the helicopter touched down hard. During the landing, the main rotors contacted and partially severed the tailboom. Disassembly of the fuel control unit (FCU) revealed that the two drive bearings that ensure drive integrity between the FCU and the fuel pump had failed. The failure of the bearings led to excessive wear in the races and degraded the drive shaft such that it could no longer provide positive drive to the FCU, which the FCU interpreted as an underspeed condition. This led the FCU to command more power to the engine and resulted in an engine overspeed condition. Metallurgical testing of the FCU drive bearings did not reveal the reason for their failure. As a result of this accident, the engine manufacturer adjusted the FCU bearing replacement schedule from a one-time replacement to replacement every 600 hours.
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
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during enroute defining event
- Autorotation Hard landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › Fuel controlling system › Failure
- factor Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- factor Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, military
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,285 hours in all; 708 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 2,072 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 1, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,504 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 17, 2014; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,962 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Honeywell LTS 101-700-D (turboshaft); 9,012 hours total
- Operator: Eaglemed LLC
The flight
- Departed from: Idabel OK
- Destination: Texarkana TX
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 11 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,600 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KTXK, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on March 8, 2016. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Crew Statements | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Party Form | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Summary of Findings | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Accident Site Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.