Sikorsky HH-3F N500XL

Summary

On 10 June 2000 at about 23:26 local time, a Sikorsky HH-3F registered N500XL was involved in an accident near Wellington, Nevada, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

10 June 2000 at 23:26

Classification

Accident

Location

Wellington, Nevada, United States

Coordinates

38.6128, -119.3922

Aircraft

Sikorsky HH-3F

Registration

N500XL

Category

Helicopter

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Minden → Lake Havasu

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX00LA220

2 people were seriously injured.

the pilot's encounter with a wind shear while maneuvering at low altitude in mountainous terrain, which resulted in a high descent rate and inadvertent entry into a power settling condition.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The helicopter collided with trees when it made a forced landing under power. The helicopter was low and climbing over a ridge in mountainous terrain when it encountered wind shear and could not sustain flight. The pilot noticed a rapid airspeed fluctuation from 80 knots to 20 knots. He completed a systems check and saw the airspeed go to zero. The helicopter rapidly settled. The pilot lowered the collective, but the rpm began to seriously decay. He tried to regain rpm, but was unsuccessful. The helicopter continued to settle downhill into a canyon. The helicopter collided with trees at zero airspeed and 800-feet-per-minute rate of descent in the bottom of the canyon.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.