- Date
- May 16, 1993, 13:20 local (19:20 UTC)
- Place
- Mead, CO
- Injuries
- 2 minor, 5 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N38QBell 206L-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 3, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930516013819A
- Case key
- 18289
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
A failure by the pilot in command to compensate for wind conditions and maintain control of the helicopter. A factor was: unfavorable wind conditions.
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
At the completion of a 20 minute cross country flight with seven persons on board, and at a gross weight less than 50 pounds below the maximum, the pilot conducted an approach to a hover. As the helicopter approached a hover the wind reportedly shifted and the helicopter began spinning to the right with full left pedal applied. After several turns, the pilot secured the engine while in a five foot hovering right turn. Upon ground contact, a skid cross tube failed in overload and the helicopter rolled on its side.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N38Q
- Reported as
- Bell 206L-1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 45364
- Airframe hours
- 4,733
- Engine
- Allison 250-C30P, 650 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- Helicopters Adventures, Int'L
- Registered owner
- Helicopters, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · November 12, 1992
- Departed
- DEN · Denver, CO
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
- 32
- Certificates
- Commercial, Military, Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 3,098 total · 2,001 in this make and model · 2,453 as pilot in command · 31 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 290° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 4,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 50 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FNL, 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.