Bombardier INC CL-600-2B19 and American Eurocopter LLC AS350B2 incident near Burbank, California, April 29, 2010
On April 29, 2010 at about 3:40 am local time, 2 aircraft, Bombardier INC CL-600-2B19 (N953SW) and American Eurocopter LLC AS350B2 (N29LW), were involved in the same incident near Burbank, California (Bob Hope Airport). The NTSB record does not give the injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The local controller’s failure to issue control instructions necessary to ensure positive control/standard separation of traffic operating within the Class C airspace.
The local controller’s failure to issue control instructions necessary to ensure positive control/standard separation of traffic operating within the Class C airspace.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 29, 2010 · about 3:40 am local time
- Place
- Burbank, California · Bob Hope Airport
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- The NTSB record does not give the injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Bombardier INC CL-600-2B19
- Registration
- N953SW · registry record · serial 7813
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
- Aircraft 2
- American Eurocopter LLC AS350B2
- Registration
- N29LW · registry record · serial 4485
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Bombardier INC CL-600-2B19 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A Canadair CRJ-200 and an American Eurocopter AStar 350, operating as a news helicopter, were involved in a near mid-air collision while the CRJ was on the left base leg of the landing pattern for a visual approach to land. As the CRJ was descending through 1,500 feet, the helicopter was conducting operations two miles southeast of the runway at 1,400 feet. The crew of the CRJ received and complied with a traffic alert and collision avoidance system resolution advisory directing a climb to maintain separation from the helicopter. The helicopter was operating under visual flight rules in the southeast portion of the airport’s Class C airspace. The event occurred at dusk under visual meteorological conditions. There was no damage to either aircraft, and no reported injuries. This incident resulted from the local controller not maintaining positive control/standard separation of aircraft within the Class C airspace. As the controller did not issue any control instructions to establish and maintain separation, neither visual separation nor target resolution procedures were being applied before the incident occurred. Consequently, the flight crew of the CRJ received a resolution advisory and had to maneuver to resolve the conflict.
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 NTSB's narrative for the American Eurocopter LLC AS350B2 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A Canadair CRJ-200 and an American Eurocopter AStar 350, operating as a news helicopter, were involved in a near mid-air collision while the CRJ was on the left base leg of the landing pattern for a visual approach to land. As the CRJ was descending through 1,500 feet, the helicopter was conducting operations two miles southeast of the runway at 1,400 feet. The crew of the CRJ received and complied with a traffic alert and collision avoidance system resolution advisory directing a climb to maintain separation from the helicopter. The helicopter was operating under visual flight rules in the southeast portion of the airport’s Class C airspace. The event occurred at dusk under visual meteorological conditions. There was no damage to either aircraft, and no reported injuries. This incident resulted from the local controller not maintaining positive control/standard separation of aircraft within the Class C airspace. As the controller did not issue any control instructions to establish and maintain separation, neither visual separation nor target resolution procedures were being applied before the incident occurred. Consequently, the flight crew of the CRJ received a resolution advisory and had to maneuver to resolve the conflict.
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 for the Bombardier INC CL-600-2B19 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Near midair/TCAS alert/loss of separation during approach (IFR final approach) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › ATC personnel
The aircraft
- Seats: 55
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Ge CF34 SERIES (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Ge CF34 SERIES (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: Skywest Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: KSFO San Francisco CA
- Destination: KBUR Burbank CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 310° at 16 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point -27°F (-33°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 am from KBUR
The factual record for the American Eurocopter LLC AS350B2 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Near midair/TCAS alert/loss of separation during maneuvering (hover) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › ATC personnel
The aircraft
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL 1D1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Angel City Air INC
The flight
- Departed from: KVNY Van Nuys CA
- Destination: KVNY Van Nuys CA
- Flight plan: none
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.