Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Monticello, Utah 84535
Saturday, August 11, 2012 10:20 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot reported that while flying in a canyon about 300 feet above ground level (agl), he spotted a black bear, which prompted him to maneuver the helicopter for a closer look. The pilot stated that he then descended to about 50 feet agl before flying upslope but allowed his airspeed to drop below 20 knots, which was outside the helicopter’s ability to hover. The pilot reported that he then received a low rotor rpm warning and took corrective action to maintain sufficient rotor rpm, but the helicopter began to settle. The pilot added that without sufficient room to gain airspeed and lift he was going to have to land the helicopter. During the landing, the helicopter impacted several trees and the ground before coming to rest on its right side. The tail section, tail rotor blades, main rotor blades, main cabin, and skids sustained extensive damage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate main rotor rpm while maneuvering at a low altitude, which resulted in the helicopter settling and subsequently colliding with the ground. Contributing to the accident was that the pilot had insufficient altitude to accomplish a successful recovery.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/11/2012 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1020 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Monticello |
| Event State | UTAH |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 84535 |
| Event Date Year | 2012 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 375320N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1092513W |
| 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 | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | -- |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 953 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 345 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | 0953 |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 4557 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 45 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| 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) | 26 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 9 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Light and Variable |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.25 |
| 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 | 2 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 30385 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Regional Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 4 2012 5:48PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N7135J |
| NTSB Number | WPR12CA351 |
| 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 | ROBINSON |
| Aircraft Model | R22 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | BETA |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 2899 |
| 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 | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 30 2012 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 36 |
| Airframe Hours | 1739 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | BCMC LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Hamilton |
| Aircraft Owner State | MT |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 59840 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Benjamin T Breedlove |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Monticello |
| Operator State | UT |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 84535 |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Airport Code | U64 |
| Departure City | Monticello |
| Departure State | UT |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 945 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | U64 |
| Destination City | Monticello |
| Destination State | UT |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 4 2012 5:49PM |
| User who most recently changed record | stam |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |