Eurocopter AS365 accident near Hamilton, Ohio, July 26, 2022
On July 26, 2022 at about 8:55 am local time, a 1998 Eurocopter AS365 (helicopter), registered N520CF, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach near Hamilton, Ohio. It was an other work-use flight under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s decision to continue the landing without having visually identified wires that were known to be in the vicinity of the landing zone, which resulted in a collision with the wires while attempting an off-airport landing in dark night visual meteorological conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 2022 · about 8:55 am local time
- Place
- Hamilton, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter AS365 N3, built 1998 · all AS365s on the register
- Registration
- N520CF · no longer on the register · serial 6537
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting an air medical flight in the helicopter during early morning hours in dark night visual meteorological conditions. About 9 miles out from the intended landing zone, he contacted on-scene fire department personnel and asked for site information. The fire department personnel reported that there were high voltage power lines on the south side of the landing zone. The pilot made an approach and was looking out for the powerlines but could not locate the wires. He was wearing night vision goggles and could see the tower but not the wires. He also could not determine which way the wires were running off the tower. The pilot used the landing light and moved it up and down to try and find the wires but could not locate them. He thought the wires were farther out from the landing zone and not below the helicopter. However, as the helicopter descended for landing, the main rotor blades contacted the wires and the helicopter fell about 30 to 50 ft. All three crew members egressed after the pilot shut down the engines. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor blades, main rotor gearbox, and motor mounts; additionally, the left engine was hanging off the side of the helicopter.
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
- Collision during takeoff/land during approach defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Awareness of condition
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Light condition › Dark › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,336 hours in all; 620 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 2,075 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 17, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,390 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, July 25, 2022
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Turbomeca Arriel 2C (turboshaft); 5,745 hours total
- Engine 2: Turbomeca Arriel 2C (turboshaft); 5,745 hours total
- Operator: Air Methods Corp
The flight
- Departed from: I68 Lebanon OH at 4:28 am
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 am from HAO, 3 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KHAO 260853Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 20/18 A3002 RMK AO2 SLP162 T02000183 58004
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on February 7, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Investigative Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N520CF the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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 ERA22LA334.