Aerospatiale 316B accident near Near Dillon, Colorado, April 29, 1984
On April 29, 1984 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Aerospatiale 316B (helicopter), registered N608RM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Near Dillon, Colorado. It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
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
- April 29, 1984 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Near Dillon, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale 316B
- Registration
- N608RM · no longer on the register · serial 1166
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHEN THE PLT TOOK OFF FROM A MOUNTAINOUS SKI AREA, LIGHT TO MODERATE SNOW WAS FALLING & THE WINDS WERE COMING UP THE VALLEY AT 5 TO 10 KTS. DURING THE FLT, HE ENCOUNTERED AN ESTIMATED 35 KT UPSLOPE WIND AS HE WAS PROCEEDING ON THE UPWIND SIDE OF A RIDGE AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 12700 FT. WITH THE UPDRAFT, HE WAS ABLE TO REDUCE POWER. THE HORIZON WAS NOT VISIBLE BUT HE COULD SEE THE MOUNTAIN TO HIS LEFT REAR AREA. JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, THE ACFT WAS TRAVELING AT ABOUT 40 KTS AT 100 TO 150 FT AGL. THE PLT STATED THAT WHILE HE WAS STILL IN AN UPDRAFT WITH REDUCED POWER, HE LOOKED BACK, NO MORE THAN 3 TO 5 SEC. AS HE LOOKED FORWARD AGAIN. HE ENCOUNTERED A WIND SHIFT WHICH PUT HIM IN A DOWNWIND, LOW POWER SITUATION. FEELING THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT SPACE TO TURN DOWNHILL, HE TURNED UPHILL, ADDED POWER & FLARED. THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN HARD ON STEEP TERRAIN AT ABOUT 12500 FT. THEN BECAME AIRBORNE AGAIN. IT IMPACTED AGAIN AFTER DROPPING 15 TO 25 FT & CAME TO REST. THE T/R & T/R GEAR BOX SEPARATED DURING THE SEQUENCE.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,300 hours in all; 623 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 2,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,455 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, April 19, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 4,960 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca IIB (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Dillon CO
- Destination: DEN Denver CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 30 knots, gusting 40
- Sky: overcast at 700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.