- Date
- June 5, 1988, 17:00 local (23:00 UTC)
- Place
- Encampment, WY
- Injuries
- 2 serious
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N6454VHelio H-295
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 2, 1989
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19880605049289A
- Case key
- 17476
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 plt stated he calculated the density altitude to have been 11,300 ft at takeoff. He said the acft was near max gross wt and that the grass strip he departed from was approx 1,500 ft long. The plt stated 'I was on the on the back side of the pwr curve as always with a stol takeoff.' The acft would not climb higher than 50 ft AGL after takeoff. The plt decided to execute a 'controlled crash.' The acft struck several trees and came to rest in a beaver pond. The wreckage was destroyed by a post crash fire. The grass strip is surrounded by trees and high mountainous terrain.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6454V
- Reported as
- Helio H-295
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 1406
- Engine
- Lycoming GO-480, 295 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Rory Mcfarland
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- Encampment, WY
- Destination
- 1V5 · Boulder, CO
- Airport
- Mill Creek Strip, runway 27, 1,500 × 50 ft, grass/turf
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
- 36
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 500 total · 300 in this make and model · 50 as pilot in command · 3 in the last 90 days · 3 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 100 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.