Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grand Junction, Colorado 81506
Friday, September 9, 1994 12:40 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ON A SOLO INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, PRACTICING TOWARDS GAINING A HELICOPTER RATING, THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING A PRACTICE AUTOROTATION TO A SAND BAR. THE AIRSPEED AND SINK RATE BECAME EXCESSIVE AND THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD RESULTING IN THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRIKING THE TAIL BOOM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER REMEDIAL ACTION IN CORRECTING FOR EXCESSIVE SPEED AND SINK RATE DURING AN AUTOROTATION. FACTORS WERE: HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED AND SINK RATE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 9/9/1994
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1240
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City GRAND JUNCTION
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81506
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 9
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 1250 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 80
Weather Observation Facility ID GJT
Elevation of weather observation facility 4858
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 3
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 70
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 7500
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1402
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Sep 9 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1535
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 6 2000 12:14PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N12RF
NTSB Number FTW94LA296
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name HILLER
Aircraft Model UH-12E
Aircraft Series Identifier UH-12E
Aircraft Serial Number 2102
Certified Max Gross Weight 2800
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 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 5 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 71
Airframe Hours 7868
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HELICOPTER ONE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2870 AVIATORS WAY
Aircraft Owner City GRAND JUNCTION
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81506
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FOWLER, RICHARD L
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3137 CLOVERDALE CT.
Operator City GRAND JUNCTION
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 81506
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 --