Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Canon City, Colorado 81212
Thursday, July 30, 1987 12:45 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ATP PLT WAS FLYING SIGHTSEEING RIDES. THERE WERE TWO ADULTS AND TWO CHILDREN IN THE FOUR PASSENGER HELICOPTER. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS 10000 FEET. THE ACFT LOST PWR AND THE PLT ABORTED TAKEOFF AND LANDED. AFTER AN ENG RUNUP THE PLT TOOK OFF AGAIN AND THE HELICOPTER WAS BROUGHT TO A HOVER TO RETURN TO THE LOADING AREA. WHILE TURNING, THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK A FENCE AND WAS SEVERED. THE HELICOPTER MADE AN UNCOMMANDED RIGHT TURN AND THE PLT EXECUTED A HOVERING AUTOROTATION. A POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED EVIDENCE THAT A PLUG WAS MISSING FROM THE INTAKE MANIFOLD.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/30/1987
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1245
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City CANON CITY
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81212
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 7
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
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 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
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) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 36
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 10000
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) 1413
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 30 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1500
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 34720
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N73265
NTSB Number DEN87LA204
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 47J-2
Aircraft Series Identifier 47J-2
Aircraft Serial Number 1869
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
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 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 11 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 25
Airframe Hours 4321
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BUD MICHAELSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 519
Aircraft Owner City BRANSON
Aircraft Owner State MO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 65616
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name OZARK MOUNTAIN HELICOPTERS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address HIGHWAY 76 WEST
Operator City BRANSON
Operator State MO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 65616
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) 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 --