NTSB CAROL · Event
Event WPR22LA154
Registry · N808LF
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
EUROCOPTER AS 350 B3
Year of manufacture
2010 · 12 years old at event
TCDS
H9EU · AIRBUS HELICOPTERS
Engine
TURBOMECA ARRIEL 2B1 (747 hp)
Seats / Engines
6 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20100714
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S AB0095
Registrant of record
AIR METHODS LLC
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The fuelers improper action during the refueling process.
Factual narrative
The pilot of the helicopter reported that, he was on the ramp with the engine running to accomplish a rapid refuel. The fueler was attempting to attach the grounding cable to the helicopter and due to the cable not locking, he maneuvered the cable up and down, which then contacted the main rotor blades. The pilot reported he felt a “violent jolt” and immediately shut the engine down. The fueler’s hands were seriously injured. The main rotor blades were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12
NTSB Findings
Hierarchical cause / factor breakdown from the FAA bulk avdata database. Each finding tagged C (Cause) or F (Factor).
- — Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Use of equip/system-Ground crew
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2022_WPR22LA154.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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