Sikorsky HH-3F accident near Wellington, Nevada, June 10, 2000
On June 10, 2000 at about 11:26 pm local time, a Sikorsky HH-3F (helicopter), registered N500XL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wellington, Nevada. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's encounter with a wind shear while maneuvering at low altitude in mountainous terrain, which resulted in a high descent rate and inadvertent entry into a power settling condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 10, 2000 · about 11:26 pm local time
- Place
- Wellington, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Sikorsky HH-3F
- Registration
- N500XL · registry record · serial 1472
- 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 trees when it made a forced landing under power. The helicopter was low and climbing over a ridge in mountainous terrain when it encountered wind shear and could not sustain flight. The pilot noticed a rapid airspeed fluctuation from 80 knots to 20 knots. He completed a systems check and saw the airspeed go to zero. The helicopter rapidly settled. The pilot lowered the collective, but the rpm began to seriously decay. He tried to regain rpm, but was unsuccessful. The helicopter continued to settle downhill into a canyon. The helicopter collided with trees at zero airspeed and 800-feet-per-minute rate of descent in the bottom of the canyon.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,620 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 5,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 26, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
Other crew
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,208 hours in all; 54 in this make and model; 61 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: July 22, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,000 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, May 25, 2000; 3 hours since
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: General Electric T58-100 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MEV Minden NV at 6:00 pm
- Destination: HII Lake Havasu AZ
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 pm from RNO, 55 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.
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.