American Eurocopter AS350B3 N853MB
5 March 2024 · Fort Morgan, Colorado, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 5 March 2024 at about 22:00 local time, a American Eurocopter AS350B3 registered N853MB, operated by Med-Trans Corp, was involved in an accident near Fort Morgan, Colorado, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 22:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Fort Morgan, Colorado, United States
- Coordinates
- 40.2497, -103.7960
- Aircraft
- American Eurocopter AS350B3
- Registration
- N853MB
- Category
- Helicopter
- Year built
- 2012
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Med-Trans Corp
- Operating rule
- Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Greeley → Fort Morgan
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CEN24LA129
People
1 person had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Probable cause
An inflight collision with birds while on approach.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot reported that during approach to a hospital helipad, two red-tailed hawks flew into the path of the helicopter and his evasive actions were unsuccessful in avoiding the birds. The birds struck the windscreen and fragments of the windscreen impacted the rotor blades. The pilot made an uneventful landing in a nearby open field. The rotor blades were substantially damaged.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other American Eurocopter AS350B3 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 Dec 2024 | American Eurocopter AS350B3 | Potrero, California, United States | Department of Homeland Security | Fatal | 1 |
| 25 Jun 2025 | American Eurocopter AS350B3 | San Luis, Arizona, United States | US Department of Homeland Security | No injuries | - |
| 9 Aug 2025 | American Eurocopter AS350B3 | Las Cruces, New Mexico, United States | Air Methods LLC | No injuries | - |
| 27 Oct 2020 | American Eurocopter AS350B3 | Silver City, New Mexico, United States | Air Methods Corp | Minor injuries | - |
| 24 Oct 2015 | American Eurocopter AS350B3 | Folsom, California, United States | Placer County Sheriff's Department | No injuries | - |
| 18 May 2014 | American Eurocopter AS350B3 | Peach Springs, Arizona, United States | Papillon Airways Inc | Fatal | 1 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 7 Jun 2024 | Beechcraft V35A | Arvada, Colorado, United States | Whiskey Romeo LLC | Fatal | 1 |
| 24 Oct 2024 | Cessna 172P | Falcon, Colorado, United States | Doomac LLC DBA | No injuries | - |
| 5 Sep 2024 | Air Tractor AT-602 | Camden, Colorado, United States | Scott Aviation Inc | Fatal | 1 |
| 27 Dec 2024 | Cessna 560 | Pagosa Springs, Colorado, United States | Metroplex Flight Services | No injuries | - |
| 8 Sep 2024 | Bellanca 7GCAA | Rifle, Colorado, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 11 Sep 2024 | Cessna 172 | Englewood, Colorado, United States | ATP Flight School | Minor injuries | - |