20020830025389A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Bell 206L-3 · Canoncity, CO · August 30, 2002

Date: August 30, 2002
Place: Canoncity, CO
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N43GA
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN02LA101
Reported as: Bell 206L3
Fatal injuries: 0

N43GARegistration cancelled Jun 2, 2004 · Bell 206L-3S/N 51305 Airframe modelBell 206L-3 Engine modelAllison 250-C30 seriesTurbo-shaft

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.

(-23) The pilot was returning to the helipad from the royal gorge when he struck a wire on a electrical power line while maneuvering during low level flight in a remote area, (blm land). The wire strike damaged the helicopter's rotor systems pitch change tubes disabling the controls. The aircraft hit the ground vertically crushing the lower fuselage, separating the main tail boom and portions of the main rotors.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) THE PILOT WAS RETURNING TO THE HELIPAD FROM THE ROYAL GORGE WHEN HE STRUCK A WIRE ON A ELECTRICAL POWER LINE WHILE MANEUVERING DURING LOW LEVEL FLIGHT IN A REMOTE AREA, (BLM LAND). THE WIRE STRIKE DAMAGED THE HELICOPTER'S ROTOR SYSTEMS PITCH CHANGE TUBES DISABLING THE CONTROLS. THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE GROUND VERTICALLY CRUSHING THE LOWER FUSELAGE, SEPARATING THE MAIN TAIL BOOM AND PORTIONS OF THE MAIN ROTORS.

NTSB investigation

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

NTSB DEN02LA101Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportCanon City, COthe pilot's failure to maintain clearance of a static wire, and the subsequent loss of aircraft control due to the main rotor pitch change tubes being severed.Aug 30, 2002 · Destroyed