- Date
- April 8, 2004, 15:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Watkins, CO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N151ACEurocopter France EC 130 B4
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 30, 2004
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20040408005959A
- Case key
- 59020
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 dual student pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter. Factors contributing to the accident were inadequate supervision by the instructor pilot, the high wind, the gusts, and the crosswinds.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The instructor pilot reported that he was conducting a commercial checkride. He and the dual student, flying the helicopter, were in a hover approximately 4-5 feet above the ground and oriented on a 190-degree heading. While at that location, the helicopter began to yaw and drift to the left. The instructor pilot said he put in opposite pedal but the helicopter continued to yaw and drift to the left. The helicopter struck the ground, left skid low on a 30 to 45 degree down angle. The instructor said he took control of the helicopter and attempted to maintain a level attitude. The helicopter bounced and then struck nose low and rolled to the right. An examination of the helicopter systems revealed no anomalies. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector on the scene said conditions were very windy. He also said that when considering the wind conditions and the way the helicopter impacted the ground, the winds may have contributed to the accident. The wind conditions reported just before the accident were 190 degrees at 8 knots with gusts to 15 knots.
Factual narrative
On April 8, 2004, at 1500 mountain standard time, a Eurocopter France EC 130 B4, N151AC, operated by Air Methods, Incorporated, was substantially damaged when it encountered terrain and subsequently rolled over at the Front Range Airport (FTG), Watkins, Colorado. The airline transport certificated flight instructor and the commercial certificated dual student reported no injuries. The instructional flight was being conducted on a company visual flight rules flight plan under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The local flight originated at FTG.
The instructor pilot reported that he was conducting a commercial checkride. He and the dual student, flying the helicopter, were in a hover approximately 4-5 feet above the ground and oriented on a 190-degree heading. While at that location, the helicopter began to yaw and drift to the left. The instructor pilot said he put in opposite pedal but the helicopter continued to yaw and drift to the left. The helicopter struck the ground, left skid low on a 30 to 45 degree down angle. The instructor said he took control of the helicopter and attempted to maintain a level attitude. The helicopter bounced and then struck nose low and rolled to the right.
The helicopter was examined at the accident site. The helicopter was found resting on its right side in a field between the runways. The helicopter's main rotor system, right skid, and right side fuselage were substantially damaged. An examination of the engine, controls, and other helicopter systems revealed no anomalies. The Federal Aviation Administration inspector on the scene said conditions were very windy. He also said that when considering the wind conditions and the way the helicopter impacted the ground, the winds may have contributed to the accident.
At 1453, the wind conditions at FTG were 190 degrees at 8 knots with gusts to 15 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N151AC
- Reported as
- Eurocopter France EC 130 B4
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 5291
- Engine
- Turbomeca 2B1, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Air Methods, Incorporated, doing business as Air Methods
- Registered owner
- Key Corporate Capital, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- FTG · Watkins, CO
- Destination
- FTG · Watkins, CO
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Airport
- FTG · Front Range Airport
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
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 55
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 16,000 total · 55 in this make and model · 50 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 61
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2
- Flight hours
- 9,000 total · 5 in this make and model · 35 in the last 90 days · 15 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.