Aerospatiale AS-350D accident near Blanchard, Idaho, August 28, 1989
On August 28, 1989 at about 5:04 am local time, a Aerospatiale AS-350D (helicopter), registered N132SH, was destroyed in an accident near Blanchard, Idaho. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
OVERHEATING AND SEIZURE OF THE SWASHPLATE BEARING, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INFLIGHT BREAKUP OF THE HELICOPTER AND SUBSEQUENT IMPACT WITH THE GROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 1989 · about 5:04 am local time
- Place
- Blanchard, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS-350D · all AS-350Ds on the register
- Registration
- N132SH · no longer on the register · serial 1335
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE EMERG MED SVC (EMS/MEDEVAC) HELICOPTER WAS EN ROUTE WITH A PLT, 2 MED PSNL & A PATIENT. THE PATIENT (A FUGITIVE WITH A GUNSHOT WOUND) WAS HANDCUFFED TO THE STRETCHER. DRG FLT, THE PLT RPRTD A PROBLEM WITH THE PATIENT & REQUESTED POLICE ASSISTANCE DRG ARRIVAL AT THE HOSPITAL. THE PLT THEN TRANSMITTED AN EXPLETIVE & RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST WITH THE ACFT. WRECKAGE WAS FOUND OVER A 1 MI AREA WITH EVIDENCE OF AN IN-FLT BREAKUP & MAIN ROTOR CONTACT WITH THE COCKPIT & TAIL CONE. INV SHOWED EVIDENCE OF SWASHPLATE BRG SEIZURE. THE PITCH CHG LINK RODS & ROTATIONAL SCISSORS WERE BRKN IN THEDRCTN OF MAIN ROTOR ROTATION & CTC MARKS WERE FND ON THE FWD EARS OF THE ROTATING SWASHPLATE LUGS. DISASSEMBLY REVEALED FAILURE OF THE INNER & OUTER RACE LOCKS & SPALLING OF THE BRG RACES. LACK OF GREASE WAS NOTED IN THE BRG & THE BALL BRGSWERE DISCOLORED BLUE. WEAR MARKS ON THE BALL BRGS INDCD SCUFFING; 1 BALL BRG WAS FLUTED. THE BRG ASSEMBLY HAD ACCRUED 1.23 HRS OF OPN SINCE THE LAST 100 HR INSPN. LUBE REQUIRED EACH 400 HRS, COMPANY POLICY WAS TO LUBE AT 100 HR INTERVALS.
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: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 200 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,486 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 25, 1989; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming LTS-101-600A2 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Eastport ID at 4:26 am
- Destination: 09WA Spokane WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:47 am from SFF, 27 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N132SH the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.