Aerospatiale AS-350B accident near Grand Prairie, Texas, December 25, 1989
On December 25, 1989 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Aerospatiale AS-350B (helicopter), registered N249HS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Prairie, Texas (Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
MANUFACTURER'S FAILURE TO PROPERTY INSTALL THE LEFT SIDE COMPONENTS OF THE DUAL CONTROL SYSTEM FOLLOWING ITS REMOVAL FOR ADDITIONAL COMPLETION WORK PRIOR TO DELIVERY OF THE AIRCRAFT. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF QUALITY CONTROL PERSONNEL TO DETECT THE OVERSIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 25, 1989 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Prairie, Texas · Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS-350B · all AS-350Bs on the register
- Registration
- N249HS · no longer on the register · serial 2249
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
INITIAL LIFTOFF AND HOVER WERE NORMAL, HOWEVER, AS THE PILOT, WHO WAS FLYING FROM THE LEFT SEAT, WAS PREPARING TO TAKEOFF, HIS CYCLIC DISCONNECTED AND CAME OUT OF THE FLOOR MOUNT. THE PILOT YELLED TO THE RATED PASSENGER TO TAKE THE CYCLIC AND HE LOWERED COLLECTIVE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WITH THE PEDALS. THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED HARD IN A TAIL LOW ATTITUDE, SEVERING THE TAILBOOM. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE 'PIP' PIN WHICH NORMALLY SECURED THE CYCLIC TO THE CONTROL MOUNT WAS MISSING AND NOT FOUND. EXAMINATION OF THE COMPONENTS DID NOT REVEAL ANY EVIDENCE OF WORKING, ELONGATION, OR DAMAGE IN THE HOLES WHERE THE PIN WOULD HAVE NORMALLY BEEN INSTALLED. AUDIT OF THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS OF THE AIRCRAFT, WHICH HAD BEEN DELIVERED FROM THE MANUFACTURER 2 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, REVEALED THAT THE DUAL CONTROLS HAD RECENTLY BEEN INSTALLED AND INSPECTED AT THE FACTORY.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,200 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, December 22, 1990; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL 1B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F67 at 3:25 pm
- Destination: F67
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from DFW, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.
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.