Bell 47G-3B1 accident near Canon City, Colorado, September 2, 1990
On September 2, 1990 at about 6:35 pm local time, a Bell 47G-3B1 (helicopter), registered N73957, was substantially damaged in an accident near Canon City, Colorado (Brown'S Fort Helipad airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AN ADEQUATE PATTERN ALTITUDE AND THE POSSIBLE EXISTENCE OF ADVERSE WINDS DUE TO THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 1990 · about 6:35 pm local time
- Place
- Canon City, Colorado · Brown'S Fort Helipad · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-3B1 · all 47G-3B1s on the register
- Registration
- N73957 · no longer on the register · serial 2827
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES WHILE ON A DOWNWIND TO THE HELIPAD. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE HELICOPTER WAS TRAVELLING PERPENDICULAR TO AN ELECTRICAL TRANSMISSION LINE AT ABOUT 60 KNOTS WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH THE TOP OF A TWO WIRE SET AT ABOUT 30 FEET AGL. PAINT TRANSFER FROM THE T/R SKID WAS FOUND ON THE DAMAGED POWER LINE. AFTER STRIKING THE WIRE THE T/R SEPARATED AT THE GEAR BOX MOUNTING FLANGE; SMALL PIECES OF THE T/R BLADE WERE FOUND ON THE GROUND BELOW THE POINT OF INITIAL WIRE CONTACT. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE DOWNWIND CLIMBING TURN AFTER TAKEOFF, AND WHILE PASSING OVER A GULLY NEAR A 6,200-FT RIDGE, HE HAD AN ENCOUNTER WITH WINDSHEAR AT 230 FEET AGL WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF 200 FEET AND THE SUBSEQUENT COLLISION. THE EXISTENCE OF THE REPORTED 'WINDSHEAR', OR POSSIBLE DOWNDRAFT COULD NOT BE VERIFIED.
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: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,800 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 322 in the last 90 days; 160 in the last 30 days; 1,550 as pilot in command; 160 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 10 knots, gusting 6
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Observation at 5:50 pm from PUB, 44 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N73957 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.