# NTSB FTW00LA140: Bell 206-L4, N52192, Bailey, CO, May 6, 2000 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: May 6, 2000, 09:40 local (15:40 UTC) - Place: Bailey, CO - Coordinates: 39.399532, -105.470542 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.3995&lon=-105.4705&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Serious injuries - Injuries: 1 serious, 1 minor, 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 10, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 49211 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW00LA140 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/49211/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW00LA140 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter while maneuvering. A factor was the high density altitude weather conditions. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, maneuvering - weather condition - high density altitude (contributing factor) - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled - terrain condition - water ## Analysis The pilot was flying low level over a lake (elevation 10,900 feet) at 25 feet agl and 20 knots airspeed. The helicopter started veering to the right, and the pilot attempted to gain altitude by adding power in an attempt to clear a tree, which was in front of the helicopter. The pilot then 'pushed the collective down trying to fly out of 'settling with power'.' The pilot stated that he was regaining control of the helicopter when it impacted the water with the left skid, which resulted in the helicopter rolling over. The helicopter came to rest on its left side, partially submerged in the lake. The pilot reported that the sky was clear, the wind was calm, and the temperature was 45 degrees Fahrenheit. The density altitude at the accident site was calculated by the NTSB investigator-in-charge to be approximately 12,477 feet. Examination of the helicopter did not reveal any anomalies that would have prevented normal operation of the helicopter. ## Factual narrative On May 6, 2000, at 0940 mountain daylight time, a Bell 206-L4 helicopter, N52192, was substantially damaged during impact with water while maneuvering near Bailey, Colorado. The helicopter was owned by Accutronics Inc., of Littleton, Colorado, and operated by the pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The private pilot received serious injuries, one passenger received minor injuries and the other two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local personal scenic flight, and a flight plan was not filed. The flight departed Littleton, Colorado, from a private helipad, approximately 0900. According to the pilot's written statement and a telephone interview conducted by the NTSB investigator-in-charge (IIC), the pilot was making a scenic flight in the vicinity of Mt. Evans, Colorado. The pilot was flying low level over a flat area called Mud Lakes (elevation 10,900 feet) at 25 feet agl and 20 knots airspeed. The pilot added that the "helicopter started veering to [the] right at 90 degrees." He attempted to gain altitude to by adding power in an attempt to clear a tree, which was in front of the helicopter. The pilot then "pushed the collective down trying to fly out of 'settling with power'." He added that the he was regaining control of the helicopter when it impacted the water with the left skid, which resulted in the helicopter rolling over. The helicopter came to rest on its left side, partially submerged in the lake. The pilot reported that the sky was clear, the wind was calm, and the temperature was 45 degrees Fahrenheit. The density altitude at the accident site was calculated by the NTSB IIC to be approximately 12,477 feet. At 1453, the Centennial Airport weather observation facility, located 35 miles east of the accident site, reported the wind from 010 degrees at 5 knots. On May 17, 2000, an NTSB investigator examined the accident helicopter. The investigator reported that the helicopter was not equipped with a high altitude tail rotor. Both tail rotor blades were found fractured about mid-span. The main rotor mast separated and displayed characteristics of overload failure. The main rotor blades were fractured and separated about 6 feet from the hub. One of the main rotor blades was curved upward. The tail boom was partially separated at the fuselage junction, and the skids and cross tubes were damaged. The pilot reported that the tail rotor gear box rotated freely at the accident site. The pilot reported that he had accumulated a total of 875 flight hours in rotorcraft, of which 6 hours were in the same make and model as the accident helicopter. Five of those 6 hours were accumulated within 24 hours of the accident flight. According to the pilot's statement, the helicopter underwent its last annual inspection on April 29, 2000, at a total time of 1,008.3 hours. At the time of the accident, the helicopter had accumulated 19.2 hours since the last annual. ## Aircraft - Registration: N52192 (not matched to a registry record) - Reported make and model: Bell 206-L4 - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 52192 - Airframe hours: 1008 - Engines: Allison 250-C30P 650 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Stephen E. Gavit - Registered owner: Acchtronics Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, April 29, 2000, 19 hours before - Departed: PVT, LITTLETON, CO ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 57; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: right; flight hours: 3,585 total, 6 in this make and model, 3,585 as pilot in command, 62 in the last 90 days, 31 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 10° at 5 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft broken - Temperature: 61 °F, dew point 46 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: APA, 35 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 20000506013169A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20000506013169A), May 6, 2000: Bell 206L4, Bailey, CO, No damage. (-23) On may 6, 2000 at 0940 MDT, a Bell 206-L4 heli, N52192 was substantially damaged during an impact with a lake while manuevering near Bailey, CO. The… 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.