Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Loveland, Colorado 80537
Wednesday, May 3, 2000 12:00 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During a practice power recovery autorotation, the private single engine land rated, helicopter student pilot performed a full autorotation when the engine lost all power. During the ensuing power off landing to an open soft field, the helicopter tipped forward, the main rotor struck and severed the tail boom, and the helicopter rolled on its right side. An examination of the engine provided no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot misjudged the run on landing during a full autorotation. Factors were a total loss of power for unknown reasons and soft terrain.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/3/2000
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1200
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City LOVELAND
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80537
Event Date Year 2000
Event Date Month 5
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 955 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 3
Weather Observation Facility ID FNL
Elevation of weather observation facility 5016
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 320
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
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) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 9
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 40
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 7000
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) 119
NTSB Notification Source FAA NW OPERATIONS CENTER
NTSB Notification Date May 3 2000 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1338
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 9:54AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1098B
NTSB Number DEN00LA083
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 269C
Aircraft Series Identifier 269C
Aircraft Serial Number 400920
Certified Max Gross Weight 2050
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 29 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 39
Airframe Hours 12147
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SCION AVIATION, LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 626 W. 66TH STREET
Aircraft Owner City LOVELAND
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80535
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 No
Departure Airport Code FNL
Departure City LOVELAND
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 930
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 --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 10 2001 12:27PM
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 --