Aerospatiale SA316B accident near Silver Plume, Colorado, April 2, 1988
On April 2, 1988 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Aerospatiale SA316B (helicopter), registered N72590, was substantially damaged in an accident near Silver Plume, Colorado. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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
- April 2, 1988 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Silver Plume, Colorado
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale SA316B
- Registration
- N72590 · no longer on the register · serial 1509
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,850 hours in all; 42 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 4,690 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,164 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, March 22, 1988; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,850 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Artouste 3B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Breckenridge CO at 10:57 pm
- Destination: Denver CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:15 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N72590 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.