# NTSB DEN05LA102: Enstrom 480B, N480EH, Scofield, UT, June 29, 2005 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 29, 2005, 12:10 local (18:10 UTC) - Place: Scofield, UT - Coordinates: 39.670063, -111.010505 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.6701&lon=-111.0105&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 27, 2005 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 61839 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN05LA102 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/61839/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN05LA102 ## Probable cause the pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter. Contributing factor's include the pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, hover - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - altitude - not maintained, pilot in command (contributing factor) - remedial action - attempted, pilot in command - Hard landing, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - ground ## Analysis According to the pilot, he was conducting an "aerial photo shoot" and was attempting to level off, but the helicopter continued to descend. The pilot attempted to increase his forward speed and arrest the descent; however, the helicopter continued to descend. The pilot stated that he lowered the collective in an attempt to perform a "quick stop." The tail rotor impacted the ground and the helicopter "began to rotate." The pilot stated the helicopter bounced several times before coming to rest in a field with heavy sagebrush vegetation. The helicopter was substantially damaged. ## Factual narrative On June 29, 2005, approximately 1210 mountain daylight time, an Enstrom 480B, N480EH, operated by a private pilot, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain while maneuvering west of Scofield Reservoir, Scofield, Utah. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The local business flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and his passenger reported no injuries. According to the accident report submitted by the pilot, he was conducting an "aerial photo shoot" near the Scofield Mountain Estates subdivision. The pilot stated that during a descent over one of the lots, he attempted to level off, but the helicopter continued to descend. The pilot attempted to increase his forward speed and arrest the descent, but the helicopter continued to descend. The pilot stated that he lowered the collective in an attempt to perform a "quick stop." The tail rotor impacted the ground and the helicopter "began to rotate." The pilot stated the helicopter bounced several times before coming to rest in a field with heavy sagebrush vegetation. During the impact, the left skid collapsed, and the tail rotor skid struck the ground, bending both tail rotor blades. The tail boom was bent to the right and forward, and the fuselage was wrinkled forward of the boom and along the right side of the helicopter. An examination of the helicopter's systems revealed no anomalies. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N480EH](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N480EH), registered now, S/N 5046, built 2002 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: ENSTROM 480B - Registry model: [Enstrom Helicopter 480B](https://openairdocs.org/model/enstrom-helicopter-480b) (registry code 3300561) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rolls-Royce 250-C20W](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c20w) (registry code 54189, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 5046 - Airframe hours: 447 - Engines: Rolls-Royce 250-C20W 420 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Registered owner: Ranch Properties LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 1, 2004, 81 hours before - Departed: Scofield, UT - Airport: None ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 58; injuries: none; commercial, private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine sea, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review November 1, 2004; seat: left; flight hours: 3,602 total, 267 in this make and model, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 11 knots, gusting 17 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 36 °F - Altimeter: 30.17 inHg - Observed at: PUC, 20 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 20050629011989A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050629011989A), Jun 29, 2005: Enstrm ENSTROM480, Scofield, UT, Substantial damage. (-23) Pilot was conducting a low level photo mission of property. Pressure altitude was approximately 7,435 MSL, temperature 24 degrees c, calculation… 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.