Eurocopter France AS350B2 accident near Las Vegas, Nevada, December 8, 2011
On December 8, 2011, a Eurocopter France AS350B2 (helicopter), registered N37SH, was destroyed in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Las Vegas, Nevada (Las Vegas Mccarren airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 5 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Sundance Helicopters’ inadequate maintenance of the helicopter, including (1) the improper reuse of a degraded self-locking nut, (2) the improper or lack of installation of a split pin, and (3) inadequate postmaintenance inspections, which resulted in the in-flight separation of the servo control input rod from the fore/aft servo and rendered the helicopter uncontrollable. Contributing to the improper or lack of installation of the split pin was the mechanic’s fatigue and the lack of clearly delineated maintenance task steps to follow. Contributing to the inadequate postmaintenance inspection was the inspector’s fatigue and the lack of clearly delineated inspection steps to follow.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 8, 2011
- Place
- Las Vegas, Nevada · Las Vegas Mccarren · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter France AS350B2 · all AS350B2s on the register
- Registration
- N37SH · registry record · serial 2300
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Safety Board’s full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/reports_aviation.html. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-13/01. On December 7, 2011, about 1630 Pacific standard time, a Sundance Helicopters, Inc., Eurocopter AS350-B2 helicopter, N37SH, operating as a “Twilight tour” sightseeing trip, crashed in mountainous terrain about 14 miles east of Las Vegas, Nevada. The pilot and four passengers were killed, and the helicopter was destroyed by impact forces and postimpact fire. The helicopter was registered to and operated by Sundance as a scheduled air tour flight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135. Visual meteorological conditions with good visibility and dusk light prevailed at the time of the accident, and the flight operated under visual flight rules. The helicopter originated from Las Vegas McCarran International Airport, Las Vegas, Nevada, about 1621 with an intended route of flight to the Hoover Dam area and return to the airport. The helicopter was not equipped, and was not required to be equipped, with any on board recording devices.
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
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Part(s) separation from AC during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during enroute (cruise)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Rotorcraft flight control › Rotorcraft servo system › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Misc hardware › Fasteners › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Maintenance personnel
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Post maintenance inspection › Maintenance personnel
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Rotorcraft flight control › Rotorcraft servo system › Failure
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Attain/maintain not possible
- factor Personnel issues › Physical › Alertness/Fatigue › (general) › Maintenance personnel
- factor Organizational issues › Management › Policy/procedure › Availability of policy/proc › Operator
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 6, 2011; 4 hours since
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL 1SER (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Sundance Helicopters INC
The flight
- Departed from: LAS Las Vegas NV
- Destination: LAS Las Vegas NV
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 200° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 pm from KLAS, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.