Lands End Heliport Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grand Junction, Colorado 81504
Thursday, June 24, 2010 18:30 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The helicopter had recently undergone an annual inspection and about a month thereafter the pilot planned to take it for a test flight. After completing an engine run-up, he noted that the helicopter appeared to be operating well. The pilot elected to perform a hover-taxi to a nearby helipad, which consisted of a flight path that would overfly a storage container. As he flew past the container, the helicopter’s engine experienced a total loss of power and he landed in a bark pile. During a postaccident visual examination by Federal Aviation Administration inspectors, they could not determine any problems with the helicopter’s engine. The pilot reported that following the helicopter being recovered he found a plug covering the fuel tank's vent line. The pilot opined that the plug resulted in the loss of power.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/24/2010
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1830
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Grand Junction
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 81504
Event Date Year 2010
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 300420N
Event Location Longitude 1083040W
Event Location Airport Lands End Heliport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 2CO9
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 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) 27
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 249
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 19
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.99
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 27575
NTSB Notification Source ROC
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Dec 14 2010 12:18PM
User who most recently changed record kelz
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9754C
NTSB Number CEN10CA362
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
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 HILLER
Aircraft Model UH-12E
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 2149
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 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection May 19 2010 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 6769
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name LANDS END TRANSPORT INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2916 D 1/2 RD
Aircraft Owner City GRAND JUNCTION
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81504-8610
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name LANDS END TRANSPORT INC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2916 D 1/2 RD
Operator City GRAND JUNCTION
Operator State CO
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 81504-8610
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code 2CO9
Departure City Grand Junction
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code 2CO9
Destination City Grand Junction
Destination State CO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Oct 1 2010 2:02PM
User who most recently changed record hatc
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --