Eurocopter France EC-130 B4 accident near Englewood, Colorado, August 9, 2004
On August 9, 2004 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Eurocopter France EC-130 B4 (helicopter), registered N910U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Englewood, Colorado (Centennial airport). It was a flight test under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to perform a preflight inspection. Contributing to the accident was the transmission cowling that disconnected during the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 2004 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Englewood, Colorado · Centennial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eurocopter France EC-130 B4 · all EC-130 B4s on the register
- Registration
- N910U · registry record · serial 3470
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the helicopter had just undergone maintenance and was preparing for a second test flight. The helicopter had departed approximately 15 minutes prior to the accident and returned due to an inoperative horizontal situation indicator. A thorough preflight had been conducted for the first test flight. While the HSI was being repaired, another maintenance technician opened the transmission cowling. The pilot and two avionics technicians boarded the helicopter from the left side, without performing an additional preflight or walk around. The pilot performed a run-up and lifted the helicopter to a hover when an individual on the ground noticed that the cowling was open. The lead mechanic then signaled to the pilot for him to land. As the helicopter set back down, the transmission cowling detached and impacted a main rotor blade and the tail boom, causing substantial damage.
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
What happened, in order
- AIRFRAME/COMPONENT/SYSTEM FAILURE/MALFUNCTION during hover - in ground effect
Pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, helicopter, APLN, helicopter, helicopter
- Flight time: 6,980 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 6,810 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: class 2
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 85.1 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 6, 2004; 0.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,291 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca Arriel 2B1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Methods
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: APA Englewood CO at 11:00 pm
- Destination: APA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 9 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°C, dew point 54°C
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from APA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DEN04CA122.