American Eurocopter LLC AS350B3 accident near Las Cruces, New Mexico, August 9, 2025
On August 9, 2025 at about 1:46 am local time, a 2009 American Eurocopter LLC AS350B3 (helicopter), registered N279AM, suffered minor damage in an accident during landing near Las Cruces, New Mexico (Memorial Medical Center Helipo airport). It was flown 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).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 2025 · about 1:46 am local time
- Place
- Las Cruces, New Mexico · Memorial Medical Center Helipo · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- American Eurocopter LLC AS350B3, built 2009
- Registration
- N279AM · registry record · serial 4685
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On August 8, 2025, about 1946 mountain daylight time, an Airbus AS350 B3, N279AM, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Las Cruces, New Mexico. The pilot, two crew members and a passenger were not injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 air medical flight. The pilot reported that the flight departed Gila Regional Heliport (NM85) Silver City, New Mexico with a patient, to conduct an air ambulance operation to Memorial Medical Center Heliport (NM77) Las Cruces, New Mexico. The pilot approached the NM77 helipad to a hover. He then performed a pedal turn to the left and the tail rotor contacted a parking sign that was located near the landing zone. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operations.
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 with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing defining event
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,411 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, August 8, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 5,010 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Air Methods LLC
The flight
- Departed from: NM85 Silver City NM
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 5:35 pm from KLRU, 9 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KLRU 082335Z AUTO 13004KT 10SM CLR 37/M02 A3003 RMK AO2 T03731018
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 2 | |||
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR25LA249.