Aerospatiale AS350B accident near Kingman, Arizona, November 10, 2002
On November 10, 2002 at about 6:40 pm local time, a Aerospatiale AS350B (helicopter), registered N909WA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kingman, Arizona (Kingman airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate visual lookout and failure to maintain adequate clearance from transmission wires while performing low altitude operations.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 10, 2002 · about 6:40 pm local time
- Place
- Kingman, Arizona · Kingman · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS350B · all AS350Bs on the register
- Registration
- N909WA · no longer on the register · serial 1227
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter collided with a transmission line while performing a low altitude maneuver and impacted the terrain. The purpose of the flight was to film an in-motion motor home for a television series. During the filming, the pilot manipulated the helicopter into an out-of-ground-effect hover and then input a 30-degree crab angle, which gave the best filming angle for the camera. About 60 to 75 feet above ground level (agl), as the motor home became abeam the helicopter, the pilot initiated forward flight and caught glimpse of a cable directly in the flight path. The pilot initiated rapid deceleration, but the helicopter impacted the cables and plummeted toward the terrain below. After egressing the helicopter, the pilot noted that a 100 to 125 meter cable was strung from the west side of the highway over to a location east of the helicopter's flight path. The operator reported no pre impact mechanical malfunctions or failures 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 single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,000 hours in all; 2,400 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 10,900 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 4, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 21, 2002; 9,987 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca Arriel 1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IGM Kingman AZ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from KIGM, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.