American Eurocopter AS350BA accident near Temple Bar, Arizona, July 5, 2003
On July 5, 2003 at about 10:50 pm local time, a American Eurocopter AS350BA (helicopter), registered N2273A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Temple Bar, Arizona. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 4 people had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to follow the published electrical system emergency procedures for a hot battery, and his misjudged landing flare during the terminal phase of the autorotation maneuver at low level.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 2003 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Temple Bar, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Eurocopter AS350BA
- Registration
- N2273A · registry record · serial 2273
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter landed hard, bounced back into the air, rotated 90 degrees to the left, and struck the ground a second time before rolling onto its right side. While in cruise at 3,500 feet msl, the tour helicopter pilot experienced a "hot battery" light indication on the instrument panel. The pilot made two radio calls, but, during the response, the helicopter experienced a complete electrical failure. The pilot elected to make an immediate landing on the shoreline of Lake Mead. At 100 feet agl, the pilot reported a change in the sound of the engine. Believing that he had an unreliable engine, the pilot entered an autorotation. While in the deceleration flair, the tail rotor stinger and tail rotor blades made contact with the soft sand. The pilot leveled the helicopter, but made a hard landing. The pilot indicated that after the helicopter came to rest, he could still hear the engine operating. He activated the fuel shutoff lever to shutdown the engine. A test run of the engine revealed no abnormalities. The pilot did not follow the emergency procedures as published in the AS350BA flight manual. Paragraph 2 describes an autorotation landing; it said to resume a level attitude before touchdown, and cancel any sideslip tendency. The aircraft flight manual states that the 150 amp generator is capable of sustaining the aircraft's electrical load. The emergency checklist identifies that if the battery is isolated from the d.c. curcuit, the pilot is to "keep a watch on voltage, continue flight, according to circumstances." The emergency procedures for a battery temperature light as explained in section 3.3 of the flight manual for the AS350BA is; "Isolate the battery (push button "OFF") and land as soon as possible."
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: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,335 hours in all; 126 in this make and model; 153 in the last 90 days; 43 in the last 30 days; 1,209 as pilot in command; 584 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 17, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,845.8 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 16, 2003; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,630 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca Arriel 1b (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sundance Helicopters Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: LAS Las Vegas NV at 10:25 pm
- Destination: Quarter Master AZ
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 12 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 108°F (42°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.72 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from LAS, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 | 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.