Aerospatiale AS350D accident near Carson City, Nevada, August 21, 1989
On August 21, 1989 at about 8:40 pm local time, a Aerospatiale AS350D (helicopter), registered N3596G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Carson City, Nevada. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A FAILURE OF THE GAS GENERATOR TURBINE. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE TAILWIND AND THE RESIDENTIAL AREA IN WHICH THE PILOT WAS FORCED TO LAND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 1989 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Carson City, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS350D · all AS350Ds on the register
- Registration
- N3596G · no longer on the register · serial 1110
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT OVER A RESIDENTIAL AREA, THE ENGINE FAILED AND THE PILOT PERFORMED AN AUTOROTATION TO A STREET. DUE TO LANDING AREA CONSTRAINTS, THE AUTOROTATION WAS PERFORMED WITH A 30 KNOT TAIL WIND COMPONENT, WHICH CAUSED A HARD LANDING AND LOSS OF CONTROL AFTER TOUCHDOWN. FIVE PERSONS WERE ABOARD AND ONE SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES DUE TO BEING EJECTED FROM THE HELICOPTER, WHEN HIS SEATBELT FAILED. THE POWER LOSS WAS DUE TO FAILURE OF THE GP TURBINE.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,665 hours in all; 1,800 in this make and model; 274 in the last 90 days; 117 in the last 30 days; 4,580 as pilot in command; 450 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,968 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming LTS-101-600-A (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RNO Reno NV at 7:00 pm
- Destination: Bodie CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 7:50 pm from RNO, 30 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 3 |
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.