Agusta Spa A109E — registry & accident history
Compiled from FAA & NTSB records · as of Jul 18, 2026
There are 157 Agusta Spa A109E airframes on record (built 1997–2022), 55 currently registered. 6 have one or more NTSB accident records (6 records total, 3 with a fatal highest-injury classification). Data as of Jul 18, 2026.
Recent Agusta Spa A109E accidents
Fatigue fracture of the main rotor blade tip cap leading edge and subsequent partial separation of the tip cap, resulting in increased vibrations in the main rotor.
The non-instrument-rated pilot’s decision to initiate the flight into marginal visual flight rules and instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in spatial disorientation and a subsequent loss of control.
The pilot's inadvertent visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a loss of helicopter control.
The loss of helicopter control after an in-flight upset, which occurred when the pilot selected the autopilot’s altitude hold mode; the reason for the reported in-flight control anomaly could not be determined during postaccident helicopter examinations. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's delay in transitioning to instrument flight rules flight before entering instrument meteorological conditions.
The pilot's decision to take off from a remote, mountainous landing site in dark (moonless) night, windy, instrument meteorological conditions. Contributing to the accident were an organizational culture that prioritized mission execution over aviation safety and the pilot's fatigue, self-imposed pressure to conduct the flight, and situational stress. Also contributing to the accident were deficiencies in the NMSP aviation section's safety-related policies, including lack of a requirement for a risk assessment at any point during the mission; inadequate pilot staffing; lack of an effective fatigue management program for pilots; and inadequate procedures and equipment to ensure effective communication between airborne and ground personnel during search and rescue missions.