Bell 412SP accident near Grand Junction, CO
On February 28, 2001, a Bell 412SP (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Grand Junction, CO. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- February 28, 2001
- Place
- Grand Junction, CO
- Aircraft
- Bell 412SP · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 39.261°N, 108.530°W
- NTSB ID
- 20010320X00611
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On February 28, 2001, at 1024 mountain standard time, an air ambulance configured Bell 412 helicopter, N412SM, operated as Care Flight for Saint Mary's Hospital, Grand Junction, Colorado, by Petroleum Helicopters, Inc., was destroyed when it impacted the ground approximately 11 miles south of Grand Junction. The commercial pilot, the only person aboard, received fatal injuries. The flight was a local area post maintenance check flight flown under Title 14 CFR Part 91, and a company flight plan was filed. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight departed the hospital helicopter pad about 1000 and proceeded to the southeast. The maintenance action involved replacement of both drive links, part number 412-010-405-109. With the change of these dynamic components, a check flight was required following the maintenance action. Vibration and autorotation characteristics were to be checked during the flight. Witnesses described seeing the helicopter proceeding in a southerly direction at an altitude of 1,500 to 2,000 feet above the ground. One witness said the helicopter made some turns and headed back in a northerly direction. A witness, close to the accident site, said she saw the helicopter proceeding toward her and when it was within several hundred yards, it appeared to descend rapidly and slow down. Then, the rotor blades slowed and folded up over the helicopter. It then came down with little forward speed in a right hand turn, impacted the ground, and immediately began to burn. She said that when the rotors were slowing, she saw parts come off
Probable cause
the pilot's failure to maintain rotor speed during an intentional autorotation, which resulted in a loss of control.
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Browse: Colorado · Bell aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
