Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

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 the helicopter and go through the rotor system. Other witnesses in the accident site area described seeing similar events with some describing one or more postimpact explosions.

One of the witnesses said she called 911 on her cell phone when it was obvious to her the helicopter was "in trouble." The fire department arrived approximately 10 minutes following the accident.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with a rating in rotorcraft/helicopter and an instrument helicopter rating. He held a second class medical certificate, with no limitations, issued on February 10, 2000.

According to records provided by his employer, he received his initial flight training through the United States Army at Fort Rucker, Alabama. He was trained as a helicopter pilot with his initial training taking place between March 1, 1989, and January 1, 1990. He was rated as a helicopter pilot by the Army on January 9, 1990. His employment with Petroleum Helicopters started on February 6, 1997, and his previous employer was the Army National Guard.

As of January 31, 2001, he had accumulated 23 hours in single engine fixed wing aircraft and 3,703 hours in helicopters. His records provided information that as an employee of Petroleum Helicopters, he had 3 hours in the Bell 206, 1,859 hours in the Bell 212/412, 376 hours in the Bell 214, and 31 hours