- Date
- June 26, 2005, 08:42 local (14:42 UTC)
- Place
- Broomfield, CO
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N308BPSchweizer 269C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 27, 2005
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Denver, Colorado
- FAA report
- 20050626013059A
- Case key
- 61808
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 failure to maintain adequate rotor rpm which resulted in a loss of control and an uncontrolled descent.
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 pilot was performing a normal approach when he noticed a slight "rotor droop." The tail of the helicopter then "snapped left," the helicopter began rotating clockwise, and the LOW ROTOR RPM warning activated. The pilot said he pushed the cyclic forward and applied "up collective" in an attempt to slow the descent rate. He said he was unable to apply further forward cyclic input due to other aircraft operating in the vicinity. The helicopter impacted the ramp in an upright attitude collapsing the right skid further than the left The tail rotor struck the ground and the tail boom cracked.
Factual narrative
On June 26, 2005, at 0842 mountain daylight time, a Schweizer 269C, N308BP, operated by Rotors of the Rockies, was substantially damaged when it struck terrain during landing at Jefferson County Airport (BJC), Broomfield, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The local aerial photography flight was being conducted under the provisions of 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The flight originated at Broomfield, Colorado, approximately 0700 mountain daylight time.
During a telephone interview, the pilot said that he was performing a normal approach when he noticed a slight "rotor droop." The helicopter was descending below the rooftop of a nearby hangar at the time the control was lost. The tail of the helicopter then "snapped left" and the helicopter began rotating clockwise. Shortly thereafter, approximately 10 feet AGL, the LOW ROTOR RPM warning activated. The pilot said he pushed the cyclic forward and applied "up collective" in an attempt to slow the descent rate. He said he was unable to apply further forward cyclic input due to other aircraft operating in the vicinity.
According to the pilot, the helicopter impacted the ramp in an upright attitude collapsing the skids. The tail rotor struck the ground and the tail boom cracked.
The winds at BJC 5 minutes before the accident were reported as 120 degrees at 4 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N308BP
- Reported as
- Schweizer 269C
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1869
- Airframe hours
- 729.2
- Engine
- Lycoming HIO-360-D1A, 190 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Rotors of the Rockies
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 1, 2005 · 31 hours before
- Departed
- BJC · Broomfield, CO
- Destination
- BJC · Broomfield, CO
- Airport
- BJC · Jefferseon County Airport
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 47
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 238 total · 1 in this make and model · 185 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 72 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- BJC
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.