Brantly Helicopter 305 accident near Golden, Colorado, May 14, 1987
On May 14, 1987 at about 1:30 am local time, a Brantly Helicopter 305, registered N5JM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Golden, Colorado (Helicopter Morton airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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 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
- May 14, 1987 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Golden, Colorado · Helicopter Morton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Brantly Helicopter 305
- Registration
- N5JM · registry record · serial 1006
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL PLT WAS PERFORMING HOVER TESTS IN HIS EXPERIMENTAL HELICOPTER AT HIS PRIVATE HELIPAD, LOCATED 60 FEET FROM HIS RESIDENCE. THE PLT REPORTED WINDS AS VARIABLE GUSTING TO 40 KNOTS. THE PLT'S ATTENTION WAS DIVERTED AND A WIND GUST PUSHED THE HELICOPTER INTO THE PORCH. THE THREE MAIN ROTOR BLADES WERE SEVERED AT IMPACT. THE HELICOPTER PIVOTED TO THE LEFT AND SETTLED ON ITS NOSE AD LEFT SIDE IN SHRUBS.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 485 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 519 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 3, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IVO-540-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 10 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.