Eurocopter France EC-130 B4 N910U
9 August 2004 · Englewood, Colorado, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 9 August 2004 at about 23:00 local time, a Eurocopter France EC-130 B4 registered N910U, operated by Air Methods, was involved in an accident near Englewood, Colorado, United States. 3 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 23:00
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Englewood, Colorado, United States
- Nearest airport
- Centennial (APA)
- Coordinates
- 39.5672, -104.8500
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter France EC-130 B4
- Registration
- N910U
- Category
- Helicopter
- Engines
- 1
- Operator
- Air Methods
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Flight Test
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Englewood → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- DEN04CA122
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Probable cause
the pilot's failure to perform a preflight inspection. Contributing to the accident was the transmission cowling that disconnected during the landing.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
According to the pilot, the helicopter had just undergone maintenance and was preparing for a second test flight. The helicopter had departed approximately 15 minutes prior to the accident and returned due to an inoperative horizontal situation indicator. A thorough preflight had been conducted for the first test flight. While the HSI was being repaired, another maintenance technician opened the transmission cowling. The pilot and two avionics technicians boarded the helicopter from the left side, without performing an additional preflight or walk around. The pilot performed a run-up and lifted the helicopter to a hover when an individual on the ground noticed that the cowling was open. The lead mechanic then signaled to the pilot for him to land. As the helicopter set back down, the transmission cowling detached and impacted a main rotor blade and the tail boom, causing substantial damage.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Eurocopter France EC-130 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 Apr 2004 | Eurocopter France EC 130 B4 | Watkins, Colorado, United States | Air Methods, Incorporated | No injuries | - |
| 27 Sep 2007 | Eurocopter France EC 130 B4 | Meadview, Arizona, United States | Maverick Helicopters, Inc. | Minor injuries | - |
| 15 Nov 2007 | Eurocopter France EC 130 B4 | Meadview, Arizona, United States | Maverick Helicopters, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 29 Jan 2016 | Eurocopter France EC 130 B4 | Shoals, West Virginia, United States | Air Methods Corporation | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Sep 2004 | Gates Learjet 25B | Colorado Spring, Colorado, United States | American Jets, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 11 Dec 2004 | Mitsubishi MU-2B-60 | Englewood, Colorado, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 12 Dec 2004 | Piper J3C-65 | Monte Vista, Colorado, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 31 Jul 2004 | Bellanca 14-19-3A | Estes Park, Colorado, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 16 Nov 2004 | Cessna 172P | Loveland, Colorado, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 21 Jan 2004 | Dassault DA-20 FALCON JET | Pueblo, Colorado, United States | - | No injuries | - |