Aerospatiale SA341G accident near El Paso, Texas, November 17, 1999
On November 17, 1999 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Aerospatiale SA341G (helicopter), registered N341G, was substantially damaged in an accident near El Paso, Texas. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An uncommanded flight control input for undetermined reasons resulting in rotor blade contact with the ground and subsequent loss of control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 17, 1999 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- El Paso, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale SA341G · all SA341Gs on the register
- Registration
- N341G · no longer on the register · serial 1056
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that he saw something on the ground that he wanted to observe. He went into a hover at 5 feet agl. The pilot said that when he initiated his departure, the helicopter made an uncommanded roll to the right causing the main rotor blades to hit the ground. Postaccident examination and testing of the three main rotor blade servos found no anomalies which might have initiated an uncommanded roll. The helicopter manufacturer's representative said that he had never heard of an uncommanded roll in this model of aircraft.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 13,000 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 13,000 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,654 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 5, 1999; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,970 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ASTAZOU IIIA (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Mcgregor NM at 6:40 pm
- Destination: TS59
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:55 pm from ELP, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.