Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Fairmont Hot Sp Canada
Tuesady, December 28, 2004 14:15 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On December 28, 2004, approximately 1415 mountain standard time, a Robinson R-44 II, N313AL, impacted the terrain near Fairmont Hot Springs, British Columbia, Canada. The private pilot, who was the sole occupant, received fatal injuries, and the aircraft, which was owned and operated by the pilot, was destroyed. According to the Transportation Safety Board of Canada, the aircraft was seen operating in visual meteorological conditions under an overcast, in an area where the visibility was approximately five miles. The pilot, who departed Cranbrook, British Columbia, about 45 minutes prior to the accident, was reportedly en route to Revelstoke, British Columbia. Reportedly, witnesses saw the aircraft in cruise flight a few minutes prior to the accident, and although no one reported seeing the crash itself, the resultant post-crash fire brought the event to the attention of the local citizens. Initial reports indicated that the wreckage was confined to one small area, with essentially no crash track spread along the terrain. This report is for informational purposes only. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of Canada, and any further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Transportation Safety Board of Canada Damien Lawson, Investigator-In-charge #4-3071 Number Five Road Richmond, British Columbia, Canada, V6X2T4 Phone: 604 666-5826

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/28/2004
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1415
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Fairmont Hot Sp
Event State --
Event Country CANADA
Zipcode of the event site --
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 503000N
Event Location Longitude 1160000W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source --
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID --
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions --
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling --
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) --
Variable Wind Indicator --
Wind Speed (knots) --
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency Foreign
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) --
NTSB Notification Source Transportation Safety Board of
NTSB Notification Date Dec 29 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 14 2005 5:34PM
User who most recently changed record MCGR
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N313AL
NTSB Number SEA05WA031
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Non-U.S., Non-Commercial
Type of Flight Plan filed --
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire --
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Robinson
Aircraft Model R-44 II
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number --
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name --
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? --
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? --
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Boulder
Operator State CO
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 80302
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
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 --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code --
Departure City Cranbrook
Departure State --
Departure Country CA
Departure Time 1343
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code --
Destination City Revelstoke
Destination State --
Destination Country CA
Specific Phase of Flight Unknown
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record --
User who most recently changed record --
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --