Eurocopter AS-350-BA accident near Swanee, Georgia, November 16, 2001
On November 16, 2001 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Eurocopter AS-350-BA (helicopter), registered N6101U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Swanee, Georgia. It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper visual lookout while hovering the helicopter, which resulted in the helicopter's main rotor blades colliding with a light post.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 16, 2001 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Swanee, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter AS-350-BA · all AS-350-BAs on the register
- Registration
- N6101U · no longer on the register · serial 2308
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was hovering the helicopter in front of a house, and the main rotor blades struck a driveway light post, removing the top ornament from the post. According to the pilot, he landed the helicopter immediately and secured it, but the blades had incurred damage as a result of them having struck the post. The pilot stated that prior to the accident, there were no failures or malfunctions to any of the helicopter's systems.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,823 hours in all; 557 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 3,536 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 11, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 629.6 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, September 30, 2000; 4.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,630 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca Arriel 1-B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Swanee GA at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from MCN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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 N6101U 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.