Bell 214B-1 accident near Aspen, Colorado, September 17, 2004
On September 17, 2004 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Bell 214B-1 (helicopter), registered N214B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aspen, Colorado (Aspen-Pitkin Co/Sardy Field). It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the inadvertent activation of the engine's fuel shut off valve, resulting in the reduction of engine power to 50 percent due to an improper cannon plug wire repair on the engine's wire harness assembly. Contributing factors include the improper wire repair, the low altitude, and the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 17, 2004 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Aspen, Colorado · Aspen-Pitkin Co/Sardy Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 214B-1 · all 214B-1s on the register
- Registration
- N214B · registry record · serial 28039
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, as he brought the helicopter to a 90-foot hover, he felt a "slight shudder" as the engine experienced a compressor stall. He stated that the engine rpm dropped to idle and he noticed the fuel flow had dropped to "idle fuel flow." He turned the helicopter downhill and attempted a forced landing on a nearby ski slope. The helicopter struck the ground with its nose, slid approximately 30 feet, and rolled over on its left side. The impact crushed the forward section of the fuselage, buckled the tail boom, and separated the vertical fin, tail rotor assembly, and both landing gear skids. The engine continued to run at idle after the helicopter came to rest. During a serviceability inspection of the engine's wire harness, a broken wire was located in the overspeed control unit's cannon plug. The wire in the "crimp type" cannon plug had been repaired with a solder joint, which is not allowed due to the close tolerance of the pins. According to the technician, the broken wire condition, in itself, would not engage the overspeed system or result in the loss of engine power. However, it was noted that, due to the close tolerance of the pins, any movement of the broken wire could enable the solder joint on one pin to touch the other pin. During a bench test, the technician stated that he "shorted pin B to pin C." This shorted condition resulted in the inadvertent activation of the fuel shut-off valve, which would result in the reduction of engine power to approximately 50 percent.
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 land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 21,800 hours in all; 675 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,810 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 16,000 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allied Signal T-55 O8D (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ASE Aspen CO at 7:00 pm
- Destination: ASE Aspen CO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from KASE, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.