Eurocopter AS 350 B2 accident near Bisbee, Arizona, June 2, 2005
On June 2, 2005 at about 1:35 am local time, a Eurocopter AS 350 B2 (helicopter), registered N5205F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bisbee, Arizona. It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain an adequate forward airspeed, which resulted in an in-flight loss of control due to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness, while operating near the out of ground effect hover capability of the helicopter. Contributing factors to the accident was the high density altitude and the pilot's lack of experience in the operating environment.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 2, 2005 · about 1:35 am local time
- Place
- Bisbee, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter AS 350 B2 · all AS 350 B2s on the register
- Registration
- N5205F · no longer on the register · serial 3109
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While hovering over a mountainous area on an aerial observation mission, the helicopter entered a rapid yaw rotation to the left then descended to ground impact. While hovering over items of interest on the ground, the pilot began a turn to the left at 200 feet above ground level. The helicopter began to turn more rapidly than normal and the pilot applied right pedal. The right pedal application did not counteract the turn rate and the helicopter continued spinning to the left. The pilot then reduced power and pitched the helicopter's nose forward while maintaining right pedal. The helicopter continued to rotate as it descended to impact with the ground. At the time of the accident, the pilot was not aware from which direction the wind was blowing. The pilot's regular flying assignment consisted of high-altitude surveillance flights over Florida and he was on a short duration pilot augmentation assignment to the Tucson operations base and had limited mountain flying experience. A pilot flying in the area immediately following the accident reported winds greater than 20 knots and blowing from the west. The helicopter was operating at a gross weight of 4,020 pounds. The maximum allowable gross weight of the helicopter is 4,961 pounds. The density altitude was 7,850 feet mean sea level (msl) and the out of ground effect hover capability of the helicopter was about 8,000 feet msl. Post accident examination of the helicopter did not reveal any preimpact airframe or engine malfunctions.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 6,000 as pilot in command; 50 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,476 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 1, 2005; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,961 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca Arriel 1D1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DMA Tucson AZ at 10:00 pm
- Destination: DMA Tucson AZ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 15 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.