Aerospatiale AS350BA accident near Chico, California, September 23, 2001
On September 23, 2001 at about 3:05 am local time, a Aerospatiale AS350BA (helicopter), registered N911NT, was destroyed in an accident near Chico, California. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate in-flight decision and delay in initiating a go-around during an encounter with brown out conditions, which led to his failure to maintain alignment of the helicopter with the intended go-around flight path and a resulting collision with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 23, 2001 · about 3:05 am local time
- Place
- Chico, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS350BA · all AS350BAs on the register
- Registration
- N911NT · registry record · serial 1556
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a steep approach to a confined landing zone, the helicopter encountered a brown out condition due to dust and dirt clouds formed by the rotor downwash, and the helicopter collided with trees during an attempted go-around. After circling the landing area twice the pilot approached the landing zone from the west to the east. Ground witnesses and the onboard flight nurses said the approach was completely normal until the helicopter neared the ground. About 30 feet above the ground there was a dirt/dust condition created from the helicopter's rotor blades and the witnesses lost sight of the helicopter. One flight nurse, who was using night vision goggles to assist the pilot with ensuring that the landing zone was clear, told investigators that as the dust cloud formed their outside vision was completely obscured. The flight nurse asked the pilot if he could see anything, but the pilot did not respond. The medical crew estimated that the pilot started to go around about 15 feet above the ground, and during the go-around the helicopter drifted about 90 feet to the south and impacted trees. Witnesses recalled hearing the engine power up and then heard the helicopter impact trees. During the engine power up and go-around, no problems were heard with the engine. The on board medical crew said that they did not perceive any mechanical difficulties with 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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 17,163 hours in all; 1,398 in this make and model
- Last flight review: September 7, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,786.9 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 5, 2001; 44.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,630 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca 4386 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Chico CA at 2:47 am
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 am from OVE, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 | 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.