Airbus A350 accident near Tucson, Arizona, October 16, 2021
On October 16, 2021 at about 8:00 pm local time, a 2007 Airbus A350 (helicopter), registered N544AM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Tucson, Arizona (Tucson Medical Center airport). It was a business flight under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 people were 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 ground equipment during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 16, 2021 · about 8:00 pm local time · cases in 2021
- Place
- Tucson, Arizona · Tucson Medical Center · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Airbus A350 B3, built 2007 · all A350s on the register
- Registration
- N544AM · registry record · serial 4206
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The operator reported that, during the landing for the air medical helicopter flight, the tail rotor blades collided with a large fire extinguisher that was located on the approach path and abeam a perimeter fence. The helicopter subsequently landed without further incident. The tailboom and horizontal stabilizer were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Ground collision during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Ground equipment › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,188 hours in all; 161 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 2,336 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 18, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Cabin Crew
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Cabin Crew
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,571 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, October 12, 2021; 0.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,961 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL 2B1 (turboshaft); 7,580 hours total
- Operator: Air Meathods CORP
The flight
- Departed from: N/A Nogales AZ at 7:37 pm
- Runway H1, 100 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 12:58 pm from KDMA, 5 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KDMA 161958Z AUTO 13016KT 10SM CLR 30/M01 A3004 RMK AO2 SLP136 T02991015 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 5 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photo 1 – Accident site, stabilizer, and tail rotor blade damage.
Photo 2 – Accident site, tail rotor blade.
Photo 3 – Accident site, tail boom.
Photo 4 – Accident site, horizontal stabilizer damage.
Photo 5 – Accident site, view from the fire extinguisher.The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on December 21, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 14 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Array-courtesy of the Helicopter Operator | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N544AM on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Airbus A350 43 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Airbus 1,507 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Turbomeca ARRIEL 2B1 271 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Tucson Medical Center Heliport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Arizona 2,983 since 1982 · 466 in the last ten years
- Arizona 8,422 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR22LA018.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.