Aerospatiale AS350B accident near Bertioga, Br, December 27, 2014
On December 27, 2014 at about 12:40 pm local time, a Aerospatiale AS350B (helicopter), registered PTHNC, was destroyed in an accident during initial climb near Bertioga (Iporanga-Guaruja airport). It was flown under non-U.S. commercial rules. 5 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 27, 2014 · about 12:40 pm local time
- Place
- Bertioga, Br · Iporanga-Guaruja · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS350B · all AS350Bs on the register
- Registration
- PTHNC · no longer on the register · serial HB-1116
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · non-U.S. commercial rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On December 27, 2014, about 1240 UTC, an Aerospatiale AS350B, Brazil registration PT-HNC, collided with trees near Rio-Santos, Bertioga, Brazil. The pilot and 4 passengers were fatally injured, and the helicopter was destroyed. The helicopter was registered to and operated by Helimarte Taxi Aereo, under the provisions of a commercial air transport non-scheduled domestic passenger flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and flight plan information is unknown. The flight originated about 2 minutes earlier from Iporanga-Guaruja Helipport (SDIX), Guaruja-Sao Paulo, Bazil, and was destined for Imigrantes Heliport (SDEY), Diadema, Sao Paulo, Brazil. The helicopter crashed shortly after takeoff into a wooded area, and an explosion occurred upon contacting the ground. The helicopter was equipped with a Roll-Royce engine. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Brazil. Any further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Aeronautical Accident Prevention And Investigation Center (CENIPA) Information Technology Division SHIS-QI 05-VI Comar Brasilia-DF, Brazil, 71.615.600 Phone: 55 61 3364 8819 Facsimile: 55 61 3365 1004 E-mail: dti@cenipa.aer.mil.br This report is for informational purposes only, and contains information released by or obtained for the Government of Brazil.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during initial climb defining event
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Seat: unk
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SDIX Guaruja at 12:38 pm
- Destination: SDEY Diadema
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 pm from SBGR, 31 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA15WA098.