20030508009409A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Bell 206L4 · Aurora, CO · May 8, 2003

Date: May 8, 2003 · 17:15 local
Place: Aurora, CO
Phase of flight: Sfl Autorotation
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N70TV
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN03LA078
Reported as: Bell 206L4
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 13,986 total8,000 in this make and model150 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) Aircraft was returning from a tv filming back to their base at centennial airport, Colorado when the crew decided to practice "engine out simulations". This was conducted by the pilot in the left seat-paul smith. During this event, the right seat pilot-richard westra pulled the power to idle at an inadvertent moment. This caused the descent to increase substantially, resulting in the aircraft's impact with the ground. The aircraft bounced after impact, turned 180 degrees and then rolled inverted.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNING FROM A TV FILMING BACK TO THEIR BASE AT CENTENNIAL AIRPORT, COLORADO WHEN THE CREW DECIDED TO PRACTICE "ENGINE OUT SIMULATIONS". THIS WAS CONDUCTED BY THE PILOT IN THE LEFT SEAT-PAUL SMITH. DURING THIS EVENT, THE RIGHT SEAT PILOT-RICHARD WESTRA PULLED THE POWER TO IDLE AT AN INADVERTENT MOMENT. THIS CAUSED THE DESCENT TO INCREASE SUBSTANTIALLY, RESULTING IN THE AIRCRAFT'S IMPACT WITH THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED AFTER IMPACT, TURNED 180 DEGREES AND THEN ROLLED INVERTED.

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 DEN03LA078Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAurora, COinadequate infligt planning/decision by the flight crew and the check pilot's failure to initiate remedial action in a timely manner. Contributing factors were the pilot-in-command's inadequate supervision of the check pilot, the check pilot's lack of recency…May 8, 2003 · Substantial damage