Bell 205A-1 accident near Rifle, Colorado, December 5, 1984
On December 5, 1984 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Bell 205A-1 (helicopter), registered N5019N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rifle, Colorado. It was an other work-use flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). 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 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
- December 5, 1984 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Rifle, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 205A-1 · all 205A-1s on the register
- Registration
- N5019N · no longer on the register · serial 30291
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER WAS ON A SEISMIC OPERATION WHEN IT LOST ENG POWER AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED DURING THE AUTOROTATIVE LANDING. THE PLT STATED THAT WHEN HE CAME BACK ON COLLECTIVE POWER THE ENG WOULD ENTER SEVERE COMPRESSOR STALLS. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE ENG, BOOST PUMPS AND FUEL FAILED TO REVEAL ANY REASON FOR ENG STALL AND SURGE.
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; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,800 hours in all; 5,000 in this make and model; 125 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,468 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 8, 1984; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming T5313B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Heli-Jets INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.