Eurocopter AS350 accident near Fox Glacier, Nz, November 21, 2015
On November 21, 2015 at about 9:55 pm local time, a Eurocopter AS350 (helicopter), registered ZKHKU, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fox Glacier. 7 people were killed.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 21, 2015 · about 9:55 pm local time
- Place
- Fox Glacier, New Zealand
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 7 people were killed.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter AS350 · all AS350s on the register
- Registration
- ZKHKU · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
The Civil Aviation Authority of New Zealand has notified the NTSB of an accident involving a Eurocopter AS350BA helicopter, which occurred on November 21, 2015. The NTSB has appointed a U.S. Accredited Representative to assist the New Zealand Transport Safety Investigation Commission investigation under the provisions of ICAO Annex 13 as the State of Manufacture and Design of the engine. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of New Zealand. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: New Zealand Transport Accident Investigation Commission Wellington, New Zealand Website: http://www.taic.org.nz
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
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 6 |
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.