20040917022969A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Bell 214B-1 · Aspen, CO · September 17, 2004

Date: September 17, 2004 · 13:00 local
Place: Aspen, CO
Phase of flight: Autorot Descent (Rotorcraft)
Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
Operator: JOLL
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N214B
NTSB investigation: NTSBDEN04LA145
Reported as: Bell 214B1
Reported engine: Lycoming T5508D
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 22,000 total630 in this make and model30 in the last 90 days

N214BRegistered now · Bell 214B-1S/N 28039 · Built 1978 Airframe modelBell 214B-1 Engine modelLycoming T-55 SER TSTurbo-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) Shortly after takeoff the aircraft came to a hover at approx. 80' AGL and had just started forward flight when the aircraft lost power. Pilot entered autorotation to a steeply sloped down ski run. Both skids and tail stinger struck the ground at the same time, pitching the aircraft forward and causing susbtantial damage to the nose of the aircraft as it struck the ground. The main rotor blades flexed downward cutting off the tailboom. The blades also struck the ground near the right front of the aircraft. The aircraft then rolled to its left, coming to rest on its left side. There was no post crash fire. The pilot stated he had been having engine compressor stall problems with this aircraft. A police officer investigating the accident stated that the mechanic had told him that he had made adjustments to the engine prior to this flight.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A HOVER AT APPROX. 80' AGL AND HAD JUST STARTED FORWARD FLIGHT WHEN THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER. PILOT ENTERED AUTOROTATION TO A STEEPLY SLOPED DOWN SKI RUN. BOTH SKIDS AND TAIL STINGER STRUCK THE GROUND AT THE SAME TIME, PITCHING THE AIRCRAFT FORWARD AND CAUSING SUSBTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT AS IT STRUCK THE GROUND. THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES FLEXED DOWNWARD CUTTING OFF THE TAILBOOM. THE BLADES ALSO STRUCK THE GROUND NEAR THE RIGHT FRONT OF THE AIRCRAFT. THE AIRCRAFT THEN ROLLED TO ITS LEFT, COMING TO REST ON ITS LEFT SIDE. THERE WAS NO POST CRASH FIRE. THE PILOT STATED HE HAD BEEN HAVING ENGINE COMPRESSOR STALL PROBLEMS WITH THIS AIRCRAFT. A POLICE OFFICER INVESTIGATING THE ACCIDENT STATED THAT THE MECHANIC HAD TOLD HIM THAT HE HAD MADE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE ENGINE PRIOR TO THIS FLIGHT.

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 DEN04LA145Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportAspen, COthe inadvertent activation of the engine's fuel shut off valve, resulting in the reduction of engine power to 50 percent due to an improper cannon plug wire repair on the engine's wire harness assembly. Contributing factors include the improper wire repair,…Sep 17, 2004 · Substantial damage