# NTSB DEN04LA130: Bell 206B3, N2751U, Atlantic City, WY, August 23, 2004 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: August 23, 2004, 15:05 local (21:05 UTC) - Place: Atlantic City, WY - Coordinates: 42.439723, -108.643608 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=42.4397&lon=-108.6436&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 2 serious, 2 minor - Status: Completed, report January 24, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 59974 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN04LA130 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/59974/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN04LA130 ## Probable cause the pilot's inability to maintain aircraft control, improper in-flight planning and decision making, and failure to compensate for wind conditions, resulting in collision with terrain. Contributing factors were the intentional low-level maneuver, and the wind shear conditions. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering - turn to reverse direction - low altitude flight/maneuver - intentional, pilot in command (contributing factor) - in-flight planning/decision - improper, pilot in command (cause) - aircraft control - not possible, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - windshear (contributing factor) - compensation for wind conditions - inadequate, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, maneuvering - terrain condition - high terrain - terrain condition - open field ## Analysis According to the pilot, he was engaged in a filming operation. He had completed a "high groundspeed" pass and was slowing to approximately "20 mph" into the wind. At approximately 75 feet above the ground, and an airspeed of approximately 60 knots, the pilot continued to maneuver the helicopter around the leeward side of a small hill. During the maneuver, the helicopter encountered a sudden wind shear and a "15 to 20 knot tailwind." The pilot stated that the helicopter lost all response to control inputs, and he was unable to maintain altitude. The helicopter descended, struck the terrain and rolled over. The impact crushed the forward fuselage, separated the main rotor assembly, and buckled the tail boom. ## Factual narrative On August 23, 2004, at approximately 1505 mountain daylight time, a Bell 206B3, N2751U, operated by Hawkins and Powers Aviation, Inc., was substantially damaged when it struck high, rolling terrain while maneuvering near Atlantic City, Wyoming. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The local flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The commercial pilot and one passenger received serious injuries and two passengers received minor injuries. The flight originated at approximately 1415. According to the pilot, he was engaged in a filming operation. He was completing a "high groundspeed" pass and was slowing to approximately "20 mph" into the wind. At approximately 75 feet above the ground, and an airspeed of approximately 60 knots, the pilot continued to maneuver the helicopter around the leeward side of a small hill. During the maneuver, the helicopter encountered a sudden wind shear and a "15 to 20 knot tailwind." The pilot stated that helicopter lost all response to control inputs, and he was unable to maintain altitude. The helicopter descended, struck the terrain and rolled over. The impact crushed the forward fuselage, separated the main rotor assembly, and buckled the tail boom. At 1453, the recorded wind condition at Hunt Field (LND), Lander, WY, located approximately 23 nautical miles at 350 degrees, elevation 5586, was, 210 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 18 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N2751U](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N2751U-2004-11-09), registration cancelled 2004-11-09, S/N 2689, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Bell 206B3 - Registry model: [Bell 206B](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b) (registry code 1181511) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Allison 250 SER 400HP](https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-ser-400hp) (registry code 03013, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 2689 - Airframe hours: 11866 - Engines: Rolls-Royce 250-C20B 430 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Registered owner: Hawkins and Powers Aviation Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, July 2, 2004, 68.8 hours before - Departed: LND, Atlantic City, WY - Destination: LND, Atlantic City, WY - Flight plan: Company VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 57; injuries: serious; commercial; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review June 11, 2004; seat: right; flight hours: 16,280 total, 10,000 in this make and model, 13,000 as pilot in command, 60 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 210° at 15 knots, gusting 18 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 37 °F - Altimeter: 29.82 inHg - Observed at: KLND, 23 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 20040823019389A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20040823019389A), Aug 23, 2004: Bell 206B, Atlantic City, WY, Destroyed. (-23) During an aerial filming flight at 50' to 75' AGL, aircraft turned downwind with estimated wind speed of 30 knots. Aircraft encountered a strong gust of… 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.