# NTSB CEN25LA334: Kaman Aerospace K-1200, N171PL, Eagle, CO, August 22, 2025 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: August 22, 2025, 16:15 local (22:15 UTC) - Place: Eagle, CO - Coordinates: 39.65526, -106.829 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.6553&lon=-106.8290&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-hover: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 17, 2025 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration, Denver FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 200841 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA334 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200841/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200841 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA334 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain helicopter control which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and impact with terrain. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Kaman Aerospace K-1200, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=13027LS), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: lateral/bank control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Kaman Aerospace K-1200, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023/cases.md?model=13027LS), [All aircraft, 390 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-hover: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Kaman Aerospace K-1200, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=13027LS), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) - [Uncontrolled descent: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470); cases with it: [Kaman Aerospace K-1200, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=13027LS), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot stated that during a rotorcraft external load operation for firefighting, he was refilling the helicopter bucket at a lake. He stated that there had been wind gusts throughout the day and a right quartering tailwind of approximately 15 kts was present when he was refilling the bucket. He said that when another helicopter flew by his helicopter about 50-100 yds right and 150 ft above his position, he felt a push to the left. He pulled back on the cyclic control, but he could not recover the helicopter, which continued pitching to the left. The helicopter descended into the lake and sustained substantial to the main rotor blades. The pilot stated there was no mechanical malfunction/failure of the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N171PL](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N171PL), registered now, S/N A94-0047, built 2018 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: KAMAN AEROSPACE CORP K-1200 - Registry model: [Kaman Aerospace K-1200](https://openairdocs.org/model/kaman-aerospace-k-1200) (registry code 13027LS) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Honeywell T5317A-1](https://openairdocs.org/engine/honeywell-t5317a-1) (registry code 33859, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: A94-0047 - Year built: 2018 - Airframe hours: 1324.1 - Engines: Honeywell Aerospace T5317A-1 1500 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Firefighting, Part 133 - Operator: Columbia Basin Helicopter - Registered owner: Precision Lift LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 28, 2025 - Destination: Same as departure - Equipment: ADS-B, Handheld GPS, Satellite tracking device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 59; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 15, 2025; seat: single; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 26,091 total, 1,445 in this make and model, 58 in the last 90 days, 23 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 8 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 88 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 30.25 inHg - Observed at: EGE, 13 nm away ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20250822011389A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250822011389A), Aug 22, 2025: Kaman Aerospace Corp K-1200, Eagle, CO, Substantial damage. On August 22nd 2025 a k-max helicopter that was participating in firefighting operations approached a position above a pond to fill up the external bucket.… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 17, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200841. 5.4 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 5.1 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19220223&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=NTSB%20Form%206120,%20N171PL;%20K-1200_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 235 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19363295&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Template-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.