Bell 206L-1 N38AZ

Summary

On 2 July 2009 at about 21:15 local time, a Bell 206L-1 registered N38AZ, operated by Mile High Helicopter Company, was involved in an accident near Breckenridge, Colorado, United States. 2 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 July 2009 at 21:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Breckenridge, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

39.5003, -106.0400

Aircraft

Bell 206L-1

Registration

N38AZ

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Mile High Helicopter Company

Operating rule

Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load

Purpose of flight

External Load

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Englewood → Breckenridge

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CEN09LA413

1 person was seriously injured.

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while maneuvering due to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to monitor wind direction while operating in the "Critical Wind Azimuth Area."

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The helicopter was conducting external load operations at an estimated density altitude of 14,000 to 14,500 feet. While manuvering to the landing zone, the helicopter began to lose tail rotor effectiveness. The commercial pilot was unable to regain control of the helicopter prior to impacting sloping terrain. Substantial damaged was sustained to the helicopter's fuselage and the pilot was seriously injured. Using an estimate total gross weigh of 3,600 pounds (3,000 pounds for the helicopter plus internal load and 600 pounds for the external load), the helicopter would have been operating in the Area B section of the Out of Ground Effect (OGE) Hover Ceiling chart and is subject to the Critical Relative Wind Azimuth chart that lists a wind avoid area between 050-210°. This density altitude combined with the helicopter's weight placed the helicopter's performance in the "Critical Wind Azimuth Area." Convective activity in the area of the accident would have produced varying wind directions with gusts up to 30 knots.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.