19800819036799A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 206L · Cortez, CO · August 19, 1980

Date
August 19, 1980 · 12:20 local
Place
Cortez, CO
Phase of flight
Pwr On Vertical Ldng/Rtrcrft
Operating rules
Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N144MB
NTSB investigation
NTSBDEN80FA056
Reported as
Bell 206L
People aboard
3
Fatal injuries
0
Pilot’s flight hours
4,751 total464 in this make and model138 in the last 90 days

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Helicopter hit by strong gust that may have unloaded rotors, while slowing for touch down. Dropped 20 ft to impact.

As the FAA filed it

HELICOPTER HIT BY STRONG GUST THAT MAY HAVE UNLOADED ROTORS, WHILE SLOWING FOR TOUCH DOWN. DROPPED 20 FT TO IMPACT.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.