20030402007219A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Hughes 369D · Estes Park, CO · April 2, 2003

Date: April 2, 2003 · 16:20 local
Place: Estes Park, CO
Phase of flight: Pwr On Vertical Ldng/Rtrcrft
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: CAXA
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N56SM
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN03LA062
Reported as: Hughes 369D
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 11,000 total1,000 in this make and model32 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.

(-23) Mr. Roger was pilot of N56SM (HU-369-D helicopter) during a wildlife capture program for the national forest service. While repositioning the helicopter to capture a wild sheep the helicopter entered a low main rotor RPM situation. The pilot could not recover the low rotor rpm's and experienced a hard landing. The helicopter then rolled over on its right side.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) MR. ROGER WAS PILOT OF N56SM (HU-369-D HELICOPTER) DURING A WILDLIFE CAPTURE PROGRAM FOR THE NATIONAL FOREST SERVICE. WHILE REPOSITIONING THE HELICOPTER TO CAPTURE A WILD SHEEP THE HELICOPTER ENTERED A LOW MAIN ROTOR RPM SITUATION. THE PILOT COULD NOT RECOVER THE LOW ROTOR RPM'S AND EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING. THE HELICOPTER THEN ROLLED OVER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE.

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 DEN03LA062Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportEstes Park, COthe failure of the pilot-in-command to maintain clearance from terrain. Factors include the high density altitude and the pilot-in-command's improper in-flight planning.Apr 2, 2003 · Substantial damage