Aerospatiale AS350-B2 accident near Eagle Pass, Texas, January 12, 2006
On January 12, 2006 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Aerospatiale AS350-B2 (helicopter), registered N840BP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eagle Pass, Texas. It was a public-use flight (federal) under public-use (government) rules. 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the unmarked transmission lines. A factor was the pilot's diverted attention while monitoring ground activity.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 12, 2006 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Eagle Pass, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS350-B2 · all AS350-B2s on the register
- Registration
- N840BP · no longer on the register · serial 2035
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (federal) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 1,672 hour commercial pilot departed the operations base near the border on a routine patrol of the Rio Grande River dividing the two countries. Upon reaching the limits of his search area he reversed course to return to home base. On the return leg he decided to search an area where he had noticed two law enforcement airboats operating north of the port of entry. The pilot reported on the Pilot/Operator Accident Report Form (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), that he recalled seeing two sets of power lines on the outbound leg of his patrol. After crossing the first set of power lines and locating the airboats he began a turn to orbit the boats. The pilot added that when he looked up and saw that he was about to hit the second set of wires, he instinctly initiated a cyclic climb to clear the wires; however, the maneuver was initiated too late and the tail rotor impacted the wires resulting in the separation of the tail rotor gear box, tail rotor assembly, and vertical fin. The pilot managed to keep the helicopter in controlled flight and elected to execute an autorotation to a clearing. The helicopter made a successful autorotation and landed upright in the middle of the river, 853 feet from the point of the wire strike. The helicopter came to rest in about 3 feet of water, and the pilot performed an emergency engine shutdown and egressed through the pilot door with assistance from the crews of the airboats.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,672 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 155 in the last 90 days; 58 in the last 30 days; 1,254 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,150 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 4,961 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL 1D1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KDRT Del Rio TX at 9:00 pm
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 16,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
- Observation at 9:40 pm from MMPG, 6 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.