- Date
- August 8, 1989, 09:10 local (15:10 UTC)
- Place
- Georgetown, CO
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N12DYBell 206B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 15, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890808029969A
- Case key
- 17762
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
Improper inflight planning/decision by the pilot. The high density altitude, tail wind, gusts, and terrain were related factors.
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 flying a cameraman, who was filming a hiker at an elevation of about 13,000 ft in mountainous terrain. The plt reported that the wind was from 280 deg at 15, gusting to 25 knots. After turning downwind, the helicopter began an uncommanded right yaw. The plt said that full left pedal failed to stop the turn and he attempted to land. The helicopter touched down in a right yaw and the skids collapsed. Subsequently, the main rotor struck the ground and the tail rotor and both gear boxes were damaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N12DY
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1900
- Airframe hours
- 6,549
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Ptarmigan Helicopters
- Registered owner
- Dr. James W Langley
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 22, 1989 · 62 hours before
- Departed
- NONE · Evergreen, CO
- Destination
- NONE
- Airport
- NONE
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
- 28
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 665 total · 85 in this make and model · 620 as pilot in command · 48 in the last 90 days · 13 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 280° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility
- 40 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 39 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.