Aerospatiale SA316B accident near Aspen, Colorado, April 1, 1993
On April 1, 1993 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Aerospatiale SA316B (helicopter), registered N3153R, was destroyed in an accident near Aspen, Colorado. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE FLIGHT CONTROL LOWER MIXING UNIT DUE TO FATIGUE, WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF CONTROL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 1, 1993 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Aspen, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale SA316B
- Registration
- N3153R · no longer on the register · serial 1484
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AT AN ALTITUDE OF 150 TO 200 FEET AGL, THE SURVIVING PASSENGER HEARD ABNORMAL SOUNDS FROM THE HELICOPTER WHICH THEN BEGAN A DESCENDING RIGHT BANK INTO TREES. EXAMINATION OF THE HELICOPTER DISCLOSED FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE LOWER MIXING UNIT AND A FATIGUE CRACK IN THE UPPER MIXING UNIT ON THE FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 18,000 hours in all; 10,000 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,308 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 70 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,960 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARTOUSE IIIB (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sea Pacific, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Irwin Lodge CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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 N3153R 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.