N974BR

Substantial
None

EUROCOPTER EC 130 B4S/N: 4672

Accident Details

Date
Friday, July 3, 2015
NTSB Number
CEN15CA312
Location
Somerset, CO
Event ID
20150722X52014
Coordinates
38.988887, -107.348335
Aircraft Damage
Substantial
Highest Injury
None
Fatalities
0
Serious Injuries
0
Minor Injuries
0
Uninjured
5
Total Aboard
5

Probable Cause and Findings

The pilot's decision to fly at a low altitude when he was aware that there were wires in the area which resulted in the helicopter contacting a wire.

Aircraft Information

Registration
N974BR
Make
EUROCOPTER
Serial Number
4672
Year Built
2009
Model / ICAO
EC 130 B4

Registered Owner (Historical)

Name
EUROTEC VERTICAL FLIGHT SOLUTIONS LLC
Address
1040 OCL PKWY
Status
Deregistered
City
EUDORA
State / Zip Code
KS 66025-9565
Country
United States

Analysis

The pilot stated he made two flights to the ranch to drop passengers off and was on his second flight transporting the passengers out of the ranch when the accident occurred. The pilot stated he had seen some wires in the area and had a discussion with the local fishing guides about the location of wires in the area, how dangerous the wires were, and how hard they were to see. The pilot reported that as he was preparing to depart with the last load of passenger, one of the fishing guides asked if he could video the helicopter for their website. The pilot reported he agreed and discussed where he would fly so the helicopter could be filmed. The pilot took off and flew a pass for the video. He stated he was flying toward the mountains when he heard a "small ting." The pilot reported he knew he hit a wire from the sound, but he did not see it. He made an uneventful off airport landing in the nearest clearing. The pilot reported the wire that the helicopter contacted was a small copper static wire. A postaccident inspection of the helicopter revealed two of the three main rotor blades were beyond repair, at least two of the Fenestron blades were beyond repair, and the entire Fenestron stator blade assembly needed to be replaced.

Data Source

Data provided by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB). For more information on this event, visit the NTSB Records Search website. NTSB# CEN15CA312