Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

On April 2, 2003, at approximately 1620 mountain standard time, a Hughes 369D helicopter, N56SM, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during a reversal maneuver near Estes Park, Colorado. The commercial pilot and his private pilot crewmember were not injured. Aris Helicopters of San Jose, California, was operating the flight under Title 14 CFR Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the local, animal capture flight that originated at approximately 1530 from a forward staging area. The pilot had not filed a flight plan.

The pilot said they were capturing bighorn sheep with a net canon. He said he was pursuing a group of animals up rising terrain (11,200 feet) when his rotor speed began to deteriorate. He tried to turn the helicopter around, but hit the ground, breaking the helicopter's right skid. The aircraft rolled over onto its right side, and its main rotor blades separated from the helicopter. The density altitude at the time of the accident was calculated to be 13,068 feet. the failure of the pilot-in-command to maintain clearance from terrain. Factors include the high density altitude and the pilot-in-command's improper in-flight planning.