- Date
- May 13, 1987, 19:30 local (May 14, 1987, 01:30 UTC)
- Place
- Golden, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N5JMBrantly Helicopter 305
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 8, 1988
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19870513017639A
- Case key
- 17224
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
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 commercial plt was performing hover tests in his experimental helicopter at his private helipad, located 60 feet from his residence. The plt reported winds as variable gusting to 40 knots. The plt's attention was diverted and a wind gust pushed the helicopter into the porch. The three main rotor blades were severed at impact. The helicopter pivoted to the left and settled on its nose AD left side in shrubs.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5JM
- Reported as
- Brantly Helicopter 305
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1006
- Airframe hours
- 519
- Engine
- Lycoming IVO-540-A1B, 305 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Morton, James D., Jr.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 3, 1986
- Airport
- CO66 · Helicopter Morton
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
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 52
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 10,000 total · 485 in this make and model · 5 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Variable at 10 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.