Bell 206L-1 accident near Mead, Colorado, May 16, 1993
On May 16, 1993 at about 7:20 pm local time, a Bell 206L-1 (helicopter), registered N38Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mead, Colorado. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 5 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A FAILURE BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO COMPENSATE FOR WIND CONDITIONS AND MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER. A FACTOR WAS: UNFAVORABLE WIND CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 1993 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Mead, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 5 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-1 · all 206L-1s on the register
- Registration
- N38Q · registry record · serial 45364
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE COMPLETION OF A 20 MINUTE CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT WITH SEVEN PERSONS ON BOARD, AND AT A GROSS WEIGHT LESS THAN 50 POUNDS BELOW THE MAXIMUM, THE PILOT CONDUCTED AN APPROACH TO A HOVER. AS THE HELICOPTER APPROACHED A HOVER THE WIND REPORTEDLY SHIFTED AND THE HELICOPTER BEGAN SPINNING TO THE RIGHT WITH FULL LEFT PEDAL APPLIED. AFTER SEVERAL TURNS, THE PILOT SECURED THE ENGINE WHILE IN A FIVE FOOT HOVERING RIGHT TURN. UPON GROUND CONTACT, A SKID CROSS TUBE FAILED IN OVERLOAD AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED ON ITS SIDE.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,098 hours in all; 2,001 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 2,453 as pilot in command; 1,732 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,733 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 12, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C30P (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DEN Denver CO at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:46 pm from FNL, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 4 |
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.