Aerospatiale AS350 B2 Ecureuil accident near Grand Canyon, Arizona, August 27, 2009
On August 27, 2009 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Aerospatiale AS350 B2 Ecureuil (helicopter), registered N705LV, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Grand Canyon, Arizona (Ramada Helipad airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a boulder during a low-altitude takeoff turn.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 27, 2009 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Canyon, Arizona · Ramada Helipad · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS350 B2 Ecureuil · all AS350 B2 Ecureuils on the register
- Registration
- N705LV · no longer on the register · serial 1878
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that six fare-paying passengers exited from the helicopter upon landing at the designated helipad adjacent to the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. Thereafter, the pilot restarted the helicopter to pick up another load of passengers at the top of the canyon. Boulders had been situated around the perimeter of the helipad by the operator to assist in marking its location. The pilot stated that seconds after becoming airborne, and as he was maneuvering during a left clearing turn to depart the area, the helicopter's tail rotor impacted a perimeter boulder. The helicopter pitched nose down and began to violently shudder, vibrate, and oscillate right and left. The pilot immediately descended from a hover and landed with the helicopter remaining upright. The helicopter sustained damage to its tail rotor blades, a hole in the tail boom, drive shaft damage, and associated damage to the 90-degree gearbox.
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
What happened, in order
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,164 hours in all; 164 in the last 90 days; 51 in the last 30 days; 8,700 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 20, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,329 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, August 27, 2009; 72 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,961 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Honeywell LTS101-700D-2 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Las Vegas Helicopters, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Grand Canyon AZ at 3:45 pm
- Destination: 1G4 Peach Springs AZ
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 175° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.