Bell 206B III accident near Broomfield, Colorado, May 31, 2003
On May 31, 2003 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Bell 206B III (helicopter), registered N382SP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Broomfield, Colorado (Jeffco airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control and the instructor's inadequate supervision.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 2003 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Broomfield, Colorado · Jeffco · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B III · all 206B IIIs on the register
- Registration
- N382SP · registry record · serial 2271
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the instructor, he demonstrated six (three left and three right), stuck pedal approaches [simulated loss of tail rotor effectiveness]. The student took the controls and set up for a simulated stuck right pedal approach. As the student added collective lever control at the end of the approach, the nose of the helicopter yawed to the right. Approximately 2 feet above the taxiway, the student rolled off the power to control the right yaw. The helicopter settled down in a tail low attitude, the rear of both landing skids struck the taxiway, and the helicopter rocked forward. When the instructor took the controls to stabilize the landing, the helicopter became airborne and the right skid tube struck the taxiway a second time. He rolled the helicopter forward, landed on both skid tubes, and slid the helicopter to a stop. The helicopter received substantial damage to both aft cross-tube saddle mounts.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,620 hours in all; 145 in this make and model; 225 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 1,540 as pilot in command; 750 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 19, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,021.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2003; 58.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250 C20S (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BJC at 1:45 pm
- Destination: BJC CO
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 200 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from BJC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.