# Accident 20020826024359A: Bell 206L3, Saguache, CO, August 26, 2002

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 26, 2002, 16:30 local time
- Place: Saguache, CO
- Damage: Destroyed
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: AUMA
- Location: 38.1525° N, 106.3917° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.1525&lon=-106.3917&mi=10
- Aircraft: N801HM (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206L3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN02TA100](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN02TA100) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020826024359A

## Narrative

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

(-23) THE PILOT, BRUCE HARRISON, STATED HE WAS LANDING AT THE FIRE SITE AND HIS APPROACH WAS A LITTLE HIGH AND THE WIND WAS CAUSING UP DRAFTS, THE AIRCRAFT WAS SETTLING INTO SOME TREES SO HE ADDED MORE POWER BUT LOST TAIL ROTOR AUTHORITY AND STARTED SPINNING, HE ROLLED OFF THE POWER AND LANDED HARD AND THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED OVER. DURING THE INVESTIGATION AT THE ACCIDENT SITE IT WAS NOTED THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES HAD STRUCK SEVERAL TREES PRIOR TO THE AIRCRAFT HITTING THE GROUND. THERE WAS ALSO INDICATIONS THE TAIL BOOM HAD ALSO GOTTEN INTO THE TREES PRIOR TO IMPACT. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^

## 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 DEN02TA100](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN02TA100), Aug 26, 2002: Bell 206L-3 (N801HM), Saguache, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning and decision making, and the loss of tail rotor effectiveness. A contributing factor was the right quartering tailwind.

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.

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