Aerospatiale AS-350-B3 accident near Clyde, Texas, February 20, 2003
On February 20, 2003 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Aerospatiale AS-350-B3 (helicopter), registered N439AE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clyde, Texas. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's delayed remedial action and his continued flight into known adverse weather conditions. A contributing factor was the excessive descent rate which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 20, 2003 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Clyde, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS-350-B3 · all AS-350-B3s on the register
- Registration
- N439AE · no longer on the register · serial 3408
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a repositioning flight, the helicopter landed hard after the pilot encountered instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). Prior to departure, the pilot checked the weather for a flight to pick up a patient at another hospital. At the time of the departure, the pilot stated the ceiling was at 1,100 feet and the visibility was 7 miles. Shortly after departure, the weather started to deteriorate and the helicopter encountered IMC. The flight paramedic stated the weather deteriorated rapidly while enroute and requested more than once for the pilot to abort the flight. Prior to reversing direction, the pilot slowed the helicopter and initiated a descent. The pilot was unaware of the descent rate and was unable to slow the descent prior to impacting the terrain. Subsequently, the helicopter landed hard and came to rest upright on a roadway.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,266 hours in all; 92 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 700 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 1, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 499.5 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 20, 2002; 69.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,961 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Arriel Arriel 2B1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ABI Abilene TX at 9:56 pm
- Destination: Eastland TX
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 900 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from ABI, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 2 |
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.