Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Peyton, Colorado 80831
Wednesday, December 15, 1999 16:50 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

After being absent from flying for several years, the pilot was practicing in a type helicopter in which he had 6 hours total time and 1 hour of pilot in command time, all of which was in the preceding 30 days. Upon entering an 'out of ground effect' hover, tail rotor effectiveness was lost and the pilot made a hard landing with the helicopter turning to the right during touch down. The helicopter rolled on its side after touch down. There was one passenger on board and approximately 50 gallons of fuel.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

an uncontrolled touchdown following entry into a "out-of-ground effect" hover. Factors were loss of tail rotor effectiveness, and the pilot's lack of recent experience in kind of aircraft and total experience in type of aircraft.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/15/1999
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1650
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City PEYTON
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80831
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 12
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 1554 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 260
Weather Observation Facility ID COS
Elevation of weather observation facility 6184
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 24
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 12000
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 43
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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) 10488
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 15 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1725
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Sep 19 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5190C
NTSB Number DEN00FA028
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 Hughes
Aircraft Model 369D
Aircraft Series Identifier 369D
Aircraft Serial Number 1145D
Certified Max Gross Weight 3000
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 4
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 16 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 90
Airframe Hours 5978
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RONALD R. MAGNUS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10970 HARDY ROAD
Aircraft Owner City COLO. SPRINGS
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80908
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name COLORADO HELICOPTERS, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 10970 HARDY ROAD
Operator City COLO SPRINGS
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80908
Operator Code UCOG
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Agriculture
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Unknown
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 00V
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1640
Departure Time Zone MST
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 Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Aug 24 2001 4:00AM
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 --