Aviation Crash Map

Bell 47G-5A N59403

19 May 2005 · Brush, Colorado, United States · No injuries

Summary

On 19 May 2005 at about 01:30 local time, a Bell 47G-5A registered N59403, operated by Joel Marwitz, was involved in an accident near Brush, Colorado, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

The record

Date
at 01:30
Classification
Accident
Location
Brush, Colorado, United States
Coordinates
40.2639, -103.6494
Aircraft
Bell 47G-5A
Registration
N59403
Category
Helicopter
Engines
1
Operator
Joel Marwitz
Operating rule
Part 91: General Aviation
Purpose of flight
Personal
Phase of flight
Not recorded
Route
Brush → Unknown
Aircraft damage
Substantial
Weather
VMC
Light
Day
NTSB number
DEN05CA078

People

Nobody was injured.

On board Died Serious Minor Uninjured
1 0 0 0 1

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the truck trailer during takeoff. A factor contributing to this accident was the truck trailer.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that during takeoff, the right rear skid of the helicopter caught on a nearby truck trailer fender. The helicopter nosed over, bounced hard, then spun around colliding with the truck trailer and the ground. The helicopter came to rest on its left side. The pilot reported the helicopter's main rotor was bent, the tail boom was bent downward, the short shaft was broken, the main frame was bent, and the Plexiglas canopy was broken. The pilot stated that it was a "nice day," the winds were "dead calm," and that there was "nothing wrong with the machine." An examination of the helicopter revealed no anomalies that could have contributed to the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.

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All 1,633 records for this type

Other accidents in this area

Date Aircraft Location Operator Outcome Died
8 Jul 2005 Cessna 150L
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Rocky Ford, Colorado, United States - Minor injuries -
23 Oct 2005 Lancair LC-40-550FG
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6 Aug 2005 Cessna 172RG
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Fort Collins, Colorado, United States Colorado Contrails Aviation, Inc. No injuries -
7 Aug 2005 Sheel VANS RV-8
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Fort Collins, Colorado, United States - Fatal 1
9 Sep 2005 Cessna T207A
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16 Feb 2005 Cessna 560
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All 170,864 records in United States