Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Meeker, Colorado 81641
Friday, June 2, 1995 12:15 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING TAKEOFF THE CANOPY FOGGED OVER AND THE PILOT MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING BY LOOKING OUT THE SIDE WINDOW. THE LEFT SKID SETTLED IN THE SNOW AND THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED LEFT APPROXIMATELY 30 DEGREES. A MAIN ROTOR BLADE SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM, THE MAIN ROTOR SHAFT FRACTURED, AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE PENETRATED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CABIN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE BY THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING LANDING. A FACTOR WAS SOFT TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/2/1995
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1215
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City MEEKER
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81641
Event Date Year 1995
Event Date Month 6
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 Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 300
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) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
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 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 932
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jun 3 1995 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1448
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 7 2000 4:20PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N85RP
NTSB Number FTW95TA228
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 Bell
Aircraft Model 206B-III
Aircraft Series Identifier 206B-III
Aircraft Serial Number 1654
Certified Max Gross Weight 3150
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection May 18 1995 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 6
Airframe Hours 4454
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JAMES B. DIRKER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 7831 S. PEORIA STREET BOX G-13
Aircraft Owner City ENGLEWOOD
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80112
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 15428
Operator City BOISE
Operator State ID
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 83715
Operator Code VMIA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 2V3
Departure City
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1030
Departure Time Zone MDT
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 --