Colorado Aviation Accidents & Incidents

HISTORY OF FLIGHT

On June 14, 2005, approximately 1905 mountain daylight time, a Schweizer 269C, N311CP, operated by Silver State Helicopters, was destroyed when it impacted the runway while landing at Pueblo Memorial Airport (PUB), Pueblo, Colorado. A postimpact fire ensued. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The instructional flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The commercial flight instructor and student pilot received serious injuries. The local flight departed PUB approximately 1830.

According to Pueblo Air Traffic Control Tower, the helicopter had been conducting multiple approaches to runway 8R and had been "cleared for the option." One witness stated that the helicopter appeared to make a steeper approach than the previous approaches. The helicopter impacted the runway hard, splitting both landing skids out laterally. The helicopter rolled over on its left side and a fire ensued.

According to a written statement submitted by the flight instructor on August 8, 2005, during the second traffic pattern, they "climbed to approximately 1000 feet AGL with the intention of practicing an autorotation entry and glide with a power recovery and go-around at about 200-300 [feet] AGL." The flight instructor stated that both pilots were at the controls on final. He stated that after lowering collective, the engine rpm "went straight to [zero]." The flight instructor stated that he took control of the helicopter while his student attempted an engine restart. He did not recall any further events until after the impact. Due to the student's injuries, he remained in a drug-induced coma for several weeks. The student did not submit any statement to the events leading up to the accident.

PERSONNEL INFORMATION

The flight instructor, age 23, holds a commercial pilot certificate with a rotorcraft helicopter rating, in addition to a rotorcraft helicopter flight instructor certificate. The flight instructor certificate was issued on March 24, 2005. The flight instructor was issued a second class airman medical certificate on January 10, 2005. The certificate contained no limitations.

According to the flight instructor's logbooks, he had logged approximately 392 hours total time; 184 of which were in the make and model of the accident helicopter. Approximately 190 hours had been logged in the previous 90 days; 180 of which was acting as a flight instructor. According to the Federal Aviation Administration's pilot database, the flight instructor received a Notice of Disapproval of Application in the Area of Operation X. Task B Straight-In Autorotation (Touchdown) during the examination for the addition of the Flight Instructor Rotorcraft-Helicopter Certificate.

According to the National Transportation Safety Board, Accident Database, the flight instructor was involved in an accident on May 19, 2005, in Pueblo, Colorado, in a Schweizer 269C. The flight instructor wa