Bell 206L-3 accident near Saguache, Colorado, August 26, 2002
On August 26, 2002 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Bell 206L-3 (helicopter), registered N801HM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Saguache, Colorado. It was a public-use flight under public-use (government) rules. 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning and decision making, and the loss of tail rotor effectiveness. A contributing factor was the right quartering tailwind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 2002 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Saguache, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-3 · all 206L-3s on the register
- Registration
- N801HM · no longer on the register · serial 51218
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that smoke coming from the forest fire indicated winds were from the east. He approached the fire from the north, circled in a counterclockwise direction, and began his approach to the landing zone from the west. On approach, the helicopter lost tail rotor effectiveness and spun to the right. A firefighter on the scene recorded the wind from the southwest at 15 knots, but this information was not relayed to the pilot. The helicopter was not equipped with a high altitude tail rotor kit.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine sea; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,348 hours in all; 4,495 in this make and model; 173 in the last 90 days; 54 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: February 27, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,934.1 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 21, 2002; 18.3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,250 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison A-250-C30P (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0V2 Salida CO at 10:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 15 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 10:35 pm from GUC, 34 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.