Aerospatiale SA315B N3836E
14 September 1985 · Craig, Colorado, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 14 September 1985 at about 15:30 local time, a Aerospatiale SA315B registered N3836E, operated by RON & Penny Livingston, was involved in an accident near Craig, Colorado, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.
The record
- Date
- at 15:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Craig, Colorado, United States
- Coordinates
- 40.5206, -107.5503
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale SA315B
- Registration
- N3836E
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- RON & Penny Livingston
- Operating rule
- Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load
- Purpose of flight
- Other Work Use
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Craig → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- DEN85FA241
People
1 person died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.
Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE HELICOPTER WAS LONG-LINING A 1280-POUND AIR COMPRESSOR TO AN 8500-FOOT MSL MOUNTAIN DRILLING SITE. WITNESSES HEARD A SQUEALING SOUND AND BANG. THEY OBSERVED GRAY-WHITE SMOKE AND ORANGE-BLUE FLAME EMITTING FROM THE EXHAUST. THE PLT RELEASED THE LOAD AND ATTEMPTED TO MAKE A FORCED LANDING IN A NEARBY CLEARING. THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH TREES AND CRASHED. DISASSEMBLY OF THE ENG REVEALED THAT ALL SIX SCREWS IN THE DIFFUSER LABYRINTH SEAL WERE LOOSE. ONE SCREW HAD BACKED OUT AHD HAD SCORED THE BACK OF THE CENTRIFUGAL COMPRESSOR. THE SCREW HAD ROTATED 180 DEGREES AND WAS BENT OPPOSITE THE COMPRESSOR'S DIRECTION OF ROTATION. THE HOLE WAS ELONGATED.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Aerospatiale SA315B accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 Jan 1985 | Aerospatiale SA315B | Salt Lake City, Utah, United States | Continental Helicopter | Minor injuries | - |
| 20 Feb 1986 | Aerospatiale SA315B | Meeker, Colorado, United States | Colorado Airlift, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 7 Sep 1984 | Aerospatiale SA315B | Lyman, Wyoming, United States | Evergreen Helicopters | Minor injuries | - |
| 17 Sep 1984 | Aerospatiale SA315B LAMA | Mountain View, Wyoming, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 11 Nov 1984 | Aerospatiale SA315B (LAMA) | Oak City, Utah, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 15 Sep 1982 | Aerospatiale SA315B | Near Kemmerer, Wyoming, United States | Rocky Mountain Helicopters, In | Serious injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 Oct 1985 | Cessna T210NII | Sterling, Colorado, United States | Sterling Air Service | No injuries | - |
| 17 Nov 1985 | Champion 7KCAB | Berthoud, Colorado, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 20 Jan 1985 | Cessna 152 | Canon City, Colorado, United States | David Howard | Minor injuries | - |
| 17 Nov 1985 | Balloon Works FIREFLY 6B | Englewood, Colorado, United States | J. Robert Pendleton | Minor injuries | - |
| 16 Nov 1985 | Piper PA-38-112 | Ft. Collins, Colorado, United States | Mt. Flyers Aero Club | No injuries | - |
| 24 Nov 1985 | Cessna C-152 | Franktown, Colorado, United States | Aspen Flying Club | No injuries | - |