Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Telluride, Colorado 81435
Friday, April 1, 1994 11:45 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE CONDUCTING A VISUAL APPROACH TO A LANDING ZONE AT 12,800 FEET MSL IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, THE PILOT MADE A RIGHT TURN FROM DOWN WIND TO BASE TO FINAL WHICH PLACED THE HELICOPTER IN A DOWN SLOPE WIND CONDITION. THE HELICOPTER SETTLED, TURNED TO THE LEFT AROUND THE VERTICAL AXIS, AND IMPACTED THE SIDE OF THE MOUNTAIN BELOW THE LANDING ZONE. THE TAIL BOOM SEPARATED AND THE FUSELAGE ROLLED DOWN THE MOUNTAIN SIDE DURING WHICH TIME THE PASSENGERS WERE EJECTED. THE INVESTIGATION PROVIDED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT WAS 4960 POUNDS. ACTUAL GROSS WEIGHT WAS 4375 POUNDS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE BY THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. FACTORS WERE UNFAVORABLE WINDS AND IMPROPER APPROACH PLANNING.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/1/1994
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1145
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City TELLURIDE
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81435
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1153 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 60
Weather Observation Facility ID TEX
Elevation of weather observation facility 9086
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 13
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 6000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 16
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 28
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 10500
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 4
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 5
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 517
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 1 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1550
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 11:01AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N59715
NTSB Number FTW94FA114
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AEROSPATIALE
Aircraft Model AS-350-B2
Aircraft Series Identifier AS-350-B2
Aircraft Serial Number 2581
Certified Max Gross Weight 4960
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Feb 9 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 55
Airframe Hours 560
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ALPINE PACIFIC, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1510 LAST DOLLAR RD. BOX 1716
Aircraft Owner City TELLURIDE
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81435
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code OMGA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation External Load
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1130
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code TEX
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --