Aerospatiale AS 355F1 N5802W
17 September 2010 · Pikes Peak, Colorado, United States · Serious injuries
Summary
On 17 September 2010 at about 12:30 local time, a Aerospatiale AS 355F1 registered N5802W, operated by Aircam National Helicopter Services Inc, was involved in an accident near Pikes Peak, Colorado, United States. 4 people were on board and one was seriously injured, 3 had minor injuries. 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 12:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Pikes Peak, Colorado, United States
- Coordinates
- 39.0604, -105.3104
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS 355F1
- Registration
- N5802W
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Aircam National Helicopter Services Inc
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Aerial Observation
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Basecamp LZ → Basecamp LZ
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CEN10CA545
People
1 person was seriously injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 |
Probable cause
The helicopter's encounter with an unexpected downdraft, which resulted in a hard landing.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
The pilot was operating his dual turbine-engine helicopter near a mountain in an effort to film an automobile driving on a road below. The pilot stated that he had operated around this particular mountain several times a year over the past 24 years and had established a flight profile which minimized the associated risks. One sharp turn in the road near the peak required the pilot to fly outbound from the mountain and make a gentle 180-degree turn back to film the automobile. When the pilot flew outbound from the mountain the flying conditions were normal. However, after turning 180 degrees and on the inbound leg towards the mountain, the helicopter encountered a downdraft and was pushed toward the rising terrain. Helicopter performance at that altitude did not provide the pilot with a power margin great enough to arrest the descent. The pilot elected to perform a landing to the road rather than risk a turn down the rocky mountain slope. The helicopter subsequently touched down hard and rolled over, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Aerospatiale AS-355F1 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 Dec 2009 | Aerospatiale AS 355F1 | Temple Bar, Arizona, United States | Heliusa Airways Inc | No injuries | - |
| 22 Nov 2012 | Aerospatiale AS-355F1 | Great Guana Cay, Bahamas | Pioneer Caribbean Logistics LTD | Fatal | 1 |
| 3 Mar 2012 | Aerospatiale AS 355F1 | Makakilo City, Hawaii, United States | TGR Helicopters | No injuries | - |
| 15 Sep 2012 | Aerospatiale AS 355F1 | West Windsor, New Jersey, United States | Analar Corporation | Fatal | 1 |
| 18 Aug 2001 | Aerospatiale AS 355F1 | Vinton, California, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 21 Jul 2000 | Aerospatiale AS 355F1 | Kahului, Maui, Hawaii, United States | - | Fatal | 7 |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Dec 2010 | Beechcraft B60 | Edwards, Colorado, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 25 Jun 2010 | Airborne OUTBACK | Denver, Colorado, United States | Alfring GIL | No injuries | - |
| 8 Dec 2010 | Diamond DA 40 | Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States | Doss Aviation Inc | No injuries | - |
| 28 Apr 2010 | Beechcraft 35 | Boulder, Colorado, United States | Curtis Charles | No injuries | - |
| 22 Dec 2010 | Mooney M20E | Colorado Springs, Colorado, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 19 Jun 2010 | Remos G3/600 | Trinidad, Colorado, United States | First Jet Now LLP | Minor injuries | - |