Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Aspen, Colorado 81611
Thursday, April 1, 1993 16:15 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT AN ALTITUDE OF 150 TO 200 FEET AGL, THE SURVIVING PASSENGER HEARD ABNORMAL SOUNDS FROM THE HELICOPTER WHICH THEN BEGAN A DESCENDING RIGHT BANK INTO TREES. EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER DISCLOSED FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE LOWER MIXING UNIT AND A FATIGUE CRACK IN THE UPPER MIXING UNIT ON THE FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROL LOWER MIXING UNIT DUE TO FATIGUE, WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF CONTROL.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/1/1993
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1615
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City ASPEN
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81611
Event Date Year 1993
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 Witness
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 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 4
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1058
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 1 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1235
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 18 2002 11:28AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\GIUV
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3153R
NTSB Number DEN93FA038
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AEROSPATIALE
Aircraft Model SA316B
Aircraft Series Identifier SA316B
Aircraft Serial Number 1484
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection 70
Airframe Hours 2308
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ROBERTS AIRCRAFT COMPANY
Aircraft Owner Street Address 120 N. E. FRONTAGE ROAD
Aircraft Owner City FORT COLLINS
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80524
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SEA PACIFIC, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 2040A AIRWAY AVENUE
Operator City FORT COLLINS
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80524
Operator Code URGA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? Yes
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 No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City IRWIN LODGE
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
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 --