Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

La Primavera Mexico
Saturday, April 30, 2005 13:15 CDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On April 30, 2005, at 1315 central daylight time, a Bell 407 helicopter, Mexican registration XA-RRV, was destroyed under unknown circumstances while hovering out of ground effect near La Primavera, Municipality of Zapopan, State of Jalisco, in the Republic of Mexico. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the helicopter, was fatally injured. The helicopter, serial number 53218, was owned and operated by Helivan S.A de C.V, of Toluca, Mexico. The helicopter, under the operational control of the Forestry Department, was involved in fire fighting operations within the La Primavera Forest. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed throughout the area for the local flight for which a visual flight rules (VFR) flight plan was filed. The local flight originated from the Guadalajara International Airport, near Guadalajara, Jalisco, approximately 1230. Local authorities reported that the helicopter was conducting external load operations with a Bambi bucket suspended from a 90-foot sling. The wreckage of the helicopter came to rest within 300 meters of the forest fire. The accident investigation is under the control and jurisdiction of the Government of Mexico. Any further information may be obtained from: Secretaria de Comunicaciones y Transportes Direccion General de Aeronautica Civil (DGAC) Providencia 807, Cuarto Piso Colonia del Valle, Codigo Postal 03100 Mexico, D.F. Mexico This report is for informational purposes only and contains only information released by, or obtained from the DGAC of the Republic of Mexico.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/30/2005
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1315
Event Time Zone Central Daylight Time
Event City La Primavera
Event State --
Event Country MEXICO
Zipcode of the event site 00000
Event Date Year 2005
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 204005N
Event Location Longitude 1033440W
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 Witness
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 Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 30
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 270
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 20
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 DGAC of the Republic of Mexico
NTSB Notification Date May 2 2005 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record May 17 2005 2:36PM
User who most recently changed record CASH
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office San Antonio, Texas

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number --
NTSB Number DFW05WA114
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Non-U.S., Commercial
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire --
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Bell
Aircraft Model 407
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 Toluca International Airport
Operator City Toluca
Operator State --
Operator Country MX
Operator Zip code 00000
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MGDL
Departure City Guadalajara
Departure State --
Departure Country MX
Departure Time 1230
Departure Time Zone CDT
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 Hover - out of ground effect
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 17 2005 2:36PM
User who most recently changed record CASH
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --