# Accident 20020730021349A: Aerosp SA315B, Estespark, CO, July 30, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 30, 2002, 18:45 local time
- Place: Estespark, CO
- Damage: No damage
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.2997° N, 105.4489° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.2997&lon=-105.4489&mi=10
- Aircraft: N3978Y, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3978Y-2002-09-13) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Aerospatiale SA315B (registry code 8680615, https://openairdocs.org/model/aerospatiale-sa315b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Turbomeca ARTOUSTEIIIB (registry code 60003, https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-artousteiiib) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: AEROSP SA315B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN02GA085](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN02GA085) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020730021349A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) FATAL HELICOPTER ACCIDENT INVOLVING N3978Y, AN AEROSPATIALE SA315B LAMA, AT THE BIG ELK INCIDENT, WITHIN ARAPAHOE-ROOSEVELT NATIONAL FOREST ON JULY 30, 2002. AIRCRAFT WAS ENGAGED IN DROPPING WATER ON HOT SPOTS WHEN THE PILOT RADIOED "HELICOPTER GOING DOWN." INITIAL INVESTIGATION HAD REVEALED THE 1ST, 2ND THIRD STAGE TURBINE NOZZLES DESTROYED DUE TO OVER TEMP. THIS REPORT CONTAINS INFORMATION GATHERED BY 08/21/02. INVESTIGATION IS CONTINUING.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB DEN02GA085](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN02GA085), Jul 31, 2002: Aerospatiale SA315B (N3978Y), Estes Park, CO, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: the pilot's abrupt collective input during water application to a forest fire. Contributing factors were encountering a vortex ring state, the inadvertent settling with power, the low altitude, and…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.