Bell 47G-3B1 N73957

Summary

On 2 September 1990 at about 18:35 local time, a Bell 47G-3B1 registered N73957 was involved in an accident near Canon City, Colorado, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 September 1990 at 18:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Canon City, Colorado, United States

Nearest airport

Brown's Fort Helipad (NONE)

Coordinates

38.4402, -105.2306

Aircraft

Bell 47G-3B1

Registration

N73957

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN90LA180

1 person had minor injuries.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE PATTERN ALTITUDE AND THE POSSIBLE EXISTENCE OF ADVERSE WINDS DUE TO THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES WHILE ON A DOWNWIND TO THE HELIPAD. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE HELICOPTER WAS TRAVELLING PERPENDICULAR TO AN ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION LINE AT ABOUT 60 KNOTS WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH THE TOP OF A TWO WIRE SET AT ABOUT 30 FEET AGL. PAINT TRANSFER FROM THE T/R SKID WAS FOUND ON THE DAMAGED POWER LINE. AFTER STRIKING THE WIRE THE T/R SEPARATED AT THE GEAR BOX MOUNTING FLANGE; SMALL PIECES OF THE T/R BLADE WERE FOUND ON THE GROUND BELOW THE POINT OF INITIAL WIRE CONTACT. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE DOWNWIND CLIMBING TURN AFTER TAKEOFF, AND WHILE PASSING OVER A GULLY NEAR A 6,200-FT RIDGE, HE HAD AN ENCOUNTER WITH WINDSHEAR AT 230 FEET AGL WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF 200 FEET AND THE SUBSEQUENT COLLISION. THE EXISTENCE OF THE REPORTED 'WINDSHEAR', OR POSSIBLE DOWNDRAFT COULD NOT BE VERIFIED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.