Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Buena Vista, Colorado 81211
Wednesday, August 4, 1982 9:45 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO TRACK WILD SHEEP WITH TRANSMITTERS ATTACHED TO THEIR NECKS. WHILE MANEUVERING AT APPROXIMATELY 14,000 FEET ELEVATION AND EXECUTING A RIGHT TURN THE AIRCRAFT FELT "RUBBERY." HE APPLIED LEFT CYCLIC BUT THE LEFT SKID HIT A LARGE ROCK OUTCROPPING. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS APPROXIMATELY 16,000 FEET AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT A WEIGHT OF 2421 LBS. THIS COMBINATION REACHES THE LIMITS OF PERFORMANCE CAPABILITY FOR THE AIRCRAFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/4/1982
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 945
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City BUENA VISTA
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81211
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 8
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 945
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 Unknown
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) 42
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 3252
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
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 N23DW
NTSB Number DEN82DA155
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON
Aircraft Model 47G3B1
Aircraft Series Identifier 47G3B1
Aircraft Serial Number 641786L
Certified Max Gross Weight 2950
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 42
Airframe Hours 4737
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2126 N. WEBER
Aircraft Owner City COLORADO SPRING
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80907
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name COLORADO DIVISION OF WILDLIFE
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2126 N. WEBER
Operator City COLORADO SPRING
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80907
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 No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City SALIDA
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 900
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City SALIDA
Destination State CO
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --