Bell 47G3B N204Z

Summary

On 5 October 1982 at about 14:47 local time, a Bell 47G3B registered N204Z, operated by Energy Air, Inc., was involved in an accident near Nr. Englewood, Colorado, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

5 October 1982 at 14:47

Classification

Accident

Location

Nr. Englewood, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Arapahoe County (APA)

Coordinates

39.5809, -104.8593

Aircraft

Bell 47G3B

Registration

N204Z

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Energy Air, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Englewood → Englewood

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN83LA002

Nobody was injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

PILOT WAS PRACTICING MANEUVERS FOR CERTIFICATION TEST. HE SAID HE MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING DUE TO SUSPECTED ENGINE TROUBLE AND A FIRE STARTED UNDER THE AIRCRAFT IN THE GRASS. HE EXITED THE AIRCRAFT BUT LEFT BATTERY AND RADIO ON. THIS INVESTIGATION INCLUDED REFERENCES TO SABOTAGE FROM A FORMER EMPLOYER, TO ARSON BY THE PILOT. PILOT WAS GIVEN A LIE DETECTION TEST WHICH DID NOT CLEAR HIM. PILOT HAD ALSO LEFT EMERGENCY FUEL SHUTOFF VALVE OPEN. PILOT WAS TESTED IN THE ARSON INVESTIGATION BECAUSE HE HAD BEEN OVERHEARD IN REMARKS "ITS OKAY IF IT BURNS. WE HAVE PLENTY OF INSURANCE" AND "THE BEST THING THAT COULD HAPPEN TO A HELICOPTER IS THAT IT BURN ITSELF UP". NO EVIDENCE WAS RECEIVED FOR IGNITION SOURCE OR FUEL SOURCE BECAUSE OF CONDITION OF WRECKAGE. SOME OF THE PERTINENT VALVES AND LINES WERE DESTROYED. BOTH FUELTANKS WERE INTACT BUT EMPTY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.