- Date
- May 8, 2011, 14:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Golden, CO
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N921JMRobinson Helicopter R44 II
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Settling with power/vortex ring state
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report August 3, 2011
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20110508008649A
- Case key
- 79061
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s decision to operate the helicopter at a high density altitude near terrain, which resulted in a settling with power condition.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The helicopter was following participants in a downhill skateboard race in mountainous terrain. The pilot had just performed a left-pedal turn and the helicopter was facing upslope to the mountain. The low rotor warning sounded and the pilot lowered the collective and increased throttle. The pilot stated that the engine did not respond so he continued to lower the collective and looked for a place to land. During the forced landing on the downsloping terrain the helicopter came to rest on its nose, resulting in substantial damage to the main rotor, skid tubes, and tail boom. Postaccident examination of the helicopter, engine, and systems, revealed no anomalies. The density altitude was calculated to be 10,600 feet. The pilot calculated the in-ground-effect hover to be 8,500 feet pressure altitude, the out-of-ground-effect hover to be 5,000 feet pressure altitude, and estimated the gross weight to be 2,320 pounds.
Factual narrative
The helicopter was following participants in a downhill skateboard race in mountainous terrain. The pilot had just performed a left pedal turn and the helicopter was facing upslope to the mountain. The low rotor warning sounded and the pilot lowered collective and increased throttle. The pilot stated that the engine did not respond so he continued to lower the collective and looked for a place to land. During the forced landing on the down sloping terrain, the helicopter came to rest on its nose resulting in substantial damage to the main rotor, skid tubes, and tail boom. An examination of the helicopter, engine, and systems, conducted by the Federal Aviation Administration, revealed no anomalies. The density altitude was calculated to be 10,600 feet. The pilot calculated the in ground effect hover to be 8,500 feet pressure altitude, the out of ground effect hover to be 5,000 feet pressure altitude, and estimated the gross weight to be 2,320 pounds.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N921JM
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 II
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 10565
- Airframe hours
- 1,185.5
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540 SER, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- Colorado Helicopter Inc
- Registered owner
- Thunderbird Aviation LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · March 11, 2011
- Departed
- KBJC · Denver, CO
- Destination
- KBJC · Denver, CO
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 33
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 1, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- July 29, 2009
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,771 total · 1,556 in this make and model · 1,685 as pilot in command · 120 in the last 90 days · 52 in the last 30 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 32
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 164 total · 35 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility
- 60 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 81 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.61 inHg
- Observed at
- KBLC
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 27, 2011, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 344 KB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.