Stapleton Int'l Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Denver, Colorado 80220
Saturday, April 18, 1987 12:45 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AN ATP PLT WAS CONDUCTING A SIGHT SEEING FLT OVER DENVER. THE PLT HAD 9 HOURS TOTAL TIME IN THIS MODEL HELICOPTER, 6 HOURS AS PIC. A HOVERING TAKEOFF WAS INITIATED TO THE NORTH WITH LEFT TURN TO THE WEST AFTER TAKEOFF. CURRENT WINDS WERE REPORTED FROM 220 DEGREES AT 17 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 27 KNOTS. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 7,600 FEET. THE PLT LANDED ON THE TAXIWAY FROM 25 TO 30 FEET ALTITUDE, WITH LOW ROTOR RPM WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING AND DAMAGE TO THE SKIDS AND THE LOWER CABIN AREA. A POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION WAS CONDUCTED BY AN A & P MECHANIC. NO ENGINE RUN WAS POSSIBLE BUT A COMPLETE PNEUMATIC, FUEL SYSTEM AND COMPRESSOR INSPECTION WAS PERFORMED AND NO EVIDENCE OF AN ENGINE MALFUNCTION/FAILURE WAS NOTED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/18/1987
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1245
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City DENVER
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80220
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport STAPLETON INT'L AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID DEN
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 5330
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1251 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID DEN
Elevation of weather observation facility 5330
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 2
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 65
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -8
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 17
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 27
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 7600
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 5
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 827
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 18 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1345
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34016
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:14PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N38886
NTSB Number DEN87LA107
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 206L-3
Aircraft Series Identifier 206L-3
Aircraft Serial Number 51023
Certified Max Gross Weight 4150
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 7
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Nov 1 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 11
Airframe Hours 1223
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CWW INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 38444
Aircraft Owner City DENVER
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80238
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 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
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1245
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 Aug 22 2001 3:51PM
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 Yes
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --