Aerospatiale AS-350-BA accident near Henderson, Nevada, December 7, 2000
On December 7, 2000 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Aerospatiale AS-350-BA (helicopter), registered N355NT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Henderson, Nevada. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot misjudged his practice approach into a remote pinnacle landing site, dragging a skid across a rock resulting 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
- December 7, 2000 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Henderson, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS-350-BA · all AS-350-BAs on the register
- Registration
- N355NT · registry record · serial 2053
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The purpose of the flight was an FAA monitored 14 CFR Part 135 check ride of a company pilot by the company check airman. According to the FAA inspector, who was onboard and monitor the check ride, while performing a pinnacle approach procedure into an unimproved site, the right front portion of the helicopter's skid collided with a large rock. This occurred with some forward speed. The resultant hard landing caused substantial buckling of the tailboom assembly, which was discovered after returning to the base of operation.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,500 hours in all; 4,014 in this make and model; 140 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,045 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL 1B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAS Las Vegas NV at 6:05 pm
- Destination: OL7 Jean NV
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N355NT the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.