Helicopteres Guimbal CABRI accident near Beaumont, Texas, January 30, 2016
On January 30, 2016 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 2015 Helicopteres Guimbal CABRI, registered N503DS, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (hover) near Beaumont, Texas (Beaumont Muni 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
The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind during a hover-taxi and his failure to maintain helicopter control due to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 30, 2016 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Beaumont, Texas · Beaumont Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Helicopteres Guimbal CABRI G2, built 2015
- Registration
- N503DS · registry record · serial 1099
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the private pilot, after completing a local area flight, he was hover-taxiing the helicopter to the ramp on about a 065-degree heading. Once the helicopter was clear of the taxiway, the helicopter encountered a small wind gust, which the pilot classified as a "tailwind." He corrected the helicopter's subsequent left rotation by applying about one-quarter of right tail rotor pedal and noted that the airspeed was about 20 knots and the altitude was about 10 ft. About 1 second later, the helicopter encountered another more significant wind gust. The pilot noted that he applied full right tail rotor pedal but that the helicopter continued to rotate left and that he then "nudged" the cyclic to the right to "follow the left spin out" and regain control. The pilot was able to stop the forward momentum of the helicopter; however, the left skid contacted the ground, and the helicopter rolled left and impacted terrain. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation and that he considered this a loss of tail rotor effectiveness event. The pilot reported that the wind at the airport at the time of the accident was from 220 degrees at 14 knots gusting to 24 knots. It is likely that the pilot did not maintain a nose-into-the-wind position and that, when the helicopter began to settle with power, it lost tail rotor effectiveness.
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
- Other weather encounter during maneuvering (hover)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during maneuvering (hover)
- Loss of tail rotor effectiveness during maneuvering (hover) defining event
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering (hover)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (hover)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Prop/rotor parameters › Capability exceeded
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Response/compensation
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 62 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 24 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 12, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 69.7 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 6, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 1,543 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-J2A (piston); 70 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BMT Beaumont TX at 2:30 pm
- Destination: BMT Beaumont TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 4,001 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 10 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from KBMT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on August 8, 2016. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photographs | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Manufacturer Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Helicopteres Guimbal Cabri G2 Service Letter 12-001 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 6 | AAIB Report EW/G2011/10/16 | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.