Aerospatiale SA 315B accident near Craig, Colorado, March 30, 1983
On March 30, 1983 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Aerospatiale SA 315B (helicopter), registered N5770F, was involved in an accident near Craig, Colorado. It was an other work-use flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 30, 1983 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Craig, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale SA 315B · all SA 315Bs on the register
- Registration
- N5770F · no longer on the register · serial 2593
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING USED IN A LONG LINE DEMONSTRATION WHEN THE CABLE CONTACTED A MAN ON THE GROUND AND INJURED HIM.ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, AFTER THE ACFT WAS LANDED AT THE STAGING AREA, THE FIELD WAS BRIEFED ON HELICOPTER OPERATIONS FOR APRX 45 MIN. WHEN THE HELICOPTER TOOK OFF SEVERAL DISTRATIONS CAUSED THE GROUND CREWMEN TO FORGET TO DISCONNECT THE LONG LINE. NO ONE NOTICED THE LINE DRAGGING ON THE GROUND UNTIL IT HIT THE MAN. THE GROUND CREW HAD TURNED AWAY FROM THE STAGING AREA TO WALK TO THE PARKING LOT WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,120 hours in all; 178 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,197 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,900 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARTOUSTE (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 100 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N5770F the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.