# NTSB FTW94FA224: Aerospatiale AS 350B-2, N95LG, Granite, CO, July 10, 1994 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report - Date: July 9, 1994, 19:48 local (Jul 10, 1994, 01:48 UTC) - Place: Granite, CO - Location: 39.0436° N, 106.2634° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Granite, CO, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.0436&lon=-106.2634&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 2 fatal, 3 minor; on the ground: 3 minor - Status: Completed, report July 11, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 18910 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW94FA224 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/18910/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=18910 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW94FA224 ## Probable cause FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ASSURE MAIN ROTOR CLEARANCE FROM SLOPING TERRAIN WHILE IN A HOVER. THE TERRAIN CONDITION WAS A RELATED FACTOR. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - In flight collision with terrain/water, hover - terrain condition - mountainous/hilly (contributing factor) - clearance - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) ## Analysis THE AIR AMBULANCE (EMS) HELICOPTER WAS DISPATCHED TO PICK UP AN INJURED HIKER ON A 14,000' MOUNTAIN. TERRAIN AT THE PICKUP POINT WAS AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 12,200' AND SLOPED APPROXIMATELY 35 DEGREES. GROUND RESCUE PERSONNEL SAID THE PILOT ADVISED THEM HE WOULD PLACE THE HELICOPTER'S RIGHT SKID ON THE MOUNTAIN SLOPE TO ALLOW THEM TO LOAD THE PATIENT ON THE DOWNHILL SIDE. AS THE HELICOPTER HOVERED ABOVE THEM, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK ROCKS. THE HELICOPTER THEN WENT OVER THEIR HEADS, CRASHED, AND SUBSEQUENTLY TUMBLED ABOUT 800' DOWN THE MOUNTAIN. ## Factual narrative HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 9, 1994, at 1948 mountain daylight time, N95LG, an Aerospatiale AS350 B2 Ecureuil, was destroyed during hover 10 miles southwest of Granite, Colorado. The commercial pilot and a flight nurse were fatally injured, and three ground personnel received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the CFR part 135 flight. The following is based on the pilot/operator report and interviews with ground rescuers. The helicopter, operating as an air ambulance, was dispatched from Provenant Medical Center in Frisco, Colorado, to 14,003-foot Mount Huron, near Granite, to pick up an injured hiker. Ground rescue personnel said the pilot was in radio contact with them as he made his approach at the 12,200 foot level. The pilot advised them he would place the helicopter's right skid on the mountain slope to allow them to load the patient on the downhill side. Rescuers said they were beneath the rotor disc and were shielding their faces from flying debris when they heard "chopping" noises. They saw the main rotor blades strike the rocks and saw the helicopter flip over their heads and tumble down the mountain, coming to rest 800 feet away at the 11,400 foot level. MEDICAL AND PATHOLOGICAL INFORMATION An autopsy (report P-94-84) was performed on the pilot by Pathologists Professional Corporation, Pueblo, Colorado. FAA's Civil Aeromedical Institute also performed a toxicological screen, the results of which are attached to this report. TESTS AND RESEARCH Examination of the accident site revealed the slope to be approximately 35 degrees. Using the flight manual's three dimensional scale drawing, three lines were drawn from the center of the helicopter, the center of the pilot's seat, and the edge of the right skid, and extended to the tip of the rotor blade. Angles formed by the intersection of these lines with the horizontal plane measured approximately 28 degrees, 28.5 degrees, and 29 degrees, respectively. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION The wreckage was released to the operator on July 10, 1994. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N95LG](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N95LG-2015-05-11), registration cancelled 2015-05-11, S/N 2389, built 1990 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: AEROSPATIALE AS 350B-2 - Registry model: [Aerospatiale AS350 B2 ECUREUIL](https://openairdocs.org/model/aerospatiale-as350-b2-ecureuil) (registry code 8680813) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Turbomeca ARRIEL-1SER](https://openairdocs.org/engine/turbomeca-arriel-1ser) (registry code 60030, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 2389 - Airframe hours: 2905 - Engines: TURBOMECA ARRIEL 1D1 625 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Part 91 - Operator: Rocky Mountain Helicopters Inc, doing business as Flight For Life - Registered owner: Geneva Transport Eqpt. Corp. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, June 29, 1994, 12 hours before - Departed: 91CO, FRISCO, CO - Flight plan: Company VFR ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: right; toxicology performed; flight hours: 15,207 total, 175 in this make and model, 31 in the last 90 days, 17 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 320° at 8 knots - Visibility: 30 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 7,500 ft broken - Temperature: 73 °F, dew point 28 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: LXV, 18 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 19940709017929A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19940709017929A), Jul 9, 1994: Snias AS350B2, Granite, CO, Destroyed, 2 fatal. Hovering for pinnicle landing. Main rotors struck rock cliff. Helicopter tumbled 800FT down mountainside. ## Docket (18 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 5, 1995, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=18910. 2.7 MB in all. - Supplement C (item 1, .PDF, 414 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40013582&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20C-Master.PDF - Supplement D (item 2, .PDF, 480 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40013583&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20D-Master.PDF - Supplement G (item 3, .PDF, 96 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40013584&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20G-Master.PDF - Supplement K (item 4, .PDF, 414 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40013585&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20K-Master.PDF - Supplement S (item 5, .PDF, 56 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40013586&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Supplement%20S-Master.PDF - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1/2 (item 6, .PDF, 369 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40351552&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1%2F2-Redacted.PDF - Map of Crash Site (item 7, .PDF, 285 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40013588&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Map%20of%20Crash%20Site-Master.PDF - Other Pertinent Forms and Reports (item 8, .PDF, 68 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40013589&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Other%20Pertinent%20Forms%20and%20Reports-Master.PDF - Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation (item 9, .PDF, 65 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40351556&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Party%20Representatives%20to%20NTSB%20Investigation-Redacted.PDF - Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 (item 10, .PDF, 48 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40351558&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Release%20of%20Aircraft%20Wreckage,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.15-Redacted.PDF - Toxicological Report (item 11, .PDF, 79 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40401604&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Toxicological%20Report-Redacted.PDF - Photo 1: Measuring slope angle at initial impact point. (item 12, .PDF, 53 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40013593&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%201%3A%20%20Measuring%20slope%20angle%20at%20initial%20impact%20point.-Master.PDF - Photo 2: Uphill view of accident site. Body of helicopter is in foreground. (item 13, .PDF, 74 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40013594&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photo%202%3A%20%20Uphill%20view%20of%20accident%20site.%20%20Body%20of%20helicopter%20is%20in%20foreground.-Master.PDF - Addition 1 to Factual Report - Correspondence from Sawyer Investigation Services submitted 03/02/95 (item 14, .PDF, 72 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40401605&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Addition%201%20to%20Factual%20Report%20-%20Correspondence%20from%20Sawyer%20Investigation%20Services%20submitted%2003%2F02%2F95-Redacted.PDF - Addition 2 to Factual Report - Correspondence from Arnold Scott submitted 03/02/95 (item 15, .PDF, 28 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40013596&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Addition%202%20to%20Factual%20Report%20-%20%20Correspondence%20from%20Arnold%20Scott%20submitted%2003%2F02%2F95-Master.PDF - Addition # 3 to FTW94FA224 Factual Report - Photograph #1 of crash in progress.Added 03/02/95 (item 16, .PDF, 34 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40013597&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Addition%20%23%203%20%20to%20FTW94FA224%20%20Factual%20Report%20-%20%20Photograph%20%231%20of%20crash%20in%20progress.Added%2003%2F02%2F95-Master.PDF - Addition # 3 to FTW94FA224 Factual Report - Photograph #2 of crash in progress.Added 03/02/95 (item 17, .PDF, 45 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40013598&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Addition%20%23%203%20%20to%20FTW94FA224%20%20Factual%20Report%20-%20%20Photograph%20%232%20%20of%20crash%20in%20progress.Added%2003%2F02%2F95-Master.PDF - Addition # 3 to FTW94FA224 Factual Report - Photograph #3 of crash in progress.Added 03/02/95 (item 18, .PDF, 43 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40013599&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Addition%20%23%203%20%20to%20FTW94FA224%20%20Factual%20Report%20-%20%20Photograph%20%233%20%20of%20crash%20in%20progress.Added%2003%2F02%2F95-Master.PDF 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.