Pueblo Memorial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Pueblo, Colorado 81001
Friday, December 21, 2007 11:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

According to the flight instructor, the commercial student was performing a hover autorotation from a skid height of one foot. The instructor wrote that yaw was minimal and the helicopter drifted slightly to the left. The helicopter touched down left skid first, then briefly hopped to the left. The student then taxied the helicopter to parking. A postflight examination of the helicopter revealed substantial damage. The instructor reported no anomalies with any of the helicopter systems.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control resulting in a hard landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/21/2007
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Pueblo
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81001
Event Date Year 2007
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 381720N
Event Location Longitude 1042904W
Event Location Airport Pueblo Memorial Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KPUB
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 4726
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1053 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 270
Weather Observation Facility ID KPUB
Elevation of weather observation facility 4726
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 11
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.62
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 22979
NTSB Notification Source FAA-Northwest Mountain Region
NTSB Notification Date Dec 21 2007 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 30 2008 4:08PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Denver FAA Flight Standards District Office

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N844SH
NTSB Number DEN08CA046
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Robinson
Aircraft Model R22 Beta
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 3824
Certified Max Gross Weight 1370
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Dec 1 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 2648
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Silver State Helicopters LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2722 Perimeter Road Ste 207
Aircraft Owner City North Las Vegas
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89032
Operator is an individual? No
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 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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code K1V6
Departure City Walsenburg
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code KPUB
Destination City Pueblo
Destination State CO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Hover
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 15 2008 3:28PM
User who most recently changed record BOWL
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --