Bell 206L-3 accident near Englewood, Colorado, April 15, 1994
On April 15, 1994 at about 10:10 pm local time, a Bell 206L-3 (helicopter), registered N937S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Englewood, Colorado (Centennial airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ROTOR RPM, HIS DELAYED FLARE, AND IMPROPER TOUCHDOWN. A FACTOR WAS A FAILURE OF THE FUEL CONTROL/GOVERNOR TO THE HIGH SIDE WHICH REQUIRED THE PILOT TO PERFORM A FULL AUTOROTATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 15, 1994 · about 10:10 pm local time
- Place
- Englewood, Colorado · Centennial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-3 · all 206L-3s on the register
- Registration
- N937S · no longer on the register · serial 51258
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CONDUCTING A TEST FLIGHT FOLLOWING INSTALLATION OF A FUEL CONTROL/GOVERNOR, THE ENGINE ACCELERATED TO MAXIMUM POWER AND COULD NOT BE CONTROLLED BY THE PILOT. THE PILOT SECURED THE ENGINE AND CONDUCTED AN AUTOROTATION. DURING TOUCHDOWN, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES CONTACTED THE TAIL BOOM AND SEVERED THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SHAFT. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL CONTROL/GOVERNOR REVEALED A PIECE OF ABRASIVE PAPER IN THE RESET SHAFT HOUSING. ACCORDING TO THE EXAMINATION REPORT, THIS WOULD CAUSE LOSS OF GOVERNOR CONTROL TO THE HIGH 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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,135 hours in all; 4,445 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 10,535 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,537 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 5, 1994; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C30P (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from APA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N937S 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.