American Eurocopter AS350BA accident near West Plains, Missouri, July 10, 1993
On July 10, 1993 at about 4:05 pm local time, a American Eurocopter AS350BA (helicopter), registered N350BA, was destroyed in an accident near West Plains, Missouri. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
UNDETERMINED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 10, 1993 · about 4:05 pm local time
- Place
- West Plains, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Eurocopter AS350BA
- Registration
- N350BA · registry record · serial 2527
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES STATED EVERYTHING SEEMED NORMAL AS THE HELICOPTER CIRCLED OVERHEAD BEFORE BEGINNING THE APPROACH TO LAND IN AN OPEN FIELD AT THE FAIRGROUND. THEY REPORTED THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED TO ABOUT 10 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THEN TURNED RIGHT AND STOPPED. THE HELICOPTER DROPPED, TAIL LOW, TO THE GROUND, THEN BOUNCED FORWARD HARD ON THE NOSE SECTION. WITNESSES STATED WHEN THE HELICOPTER BECAME AIRBORNE AGAIN IT WAS SPINNING, AND MOVING TOWARDS THEM. THE HELICOPTER STRUCK ELECTRICAL POWER LINES AND CAME TO REST ON AN ASPHALT ROAD ABOUT 90 FEET FROM THE POINT OF INITIAL IMPACT. POSTACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MECHANICAL ANOMALY.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 14,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 398 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 8, 1993; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,630 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL 1B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: American Eurocopter CORP.
The flight
- Departed from: UNO Pomona MO at 3:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.