Agusta A119 accident near Big Bear City, California, July 19, 2004
On July 19, 2004 at about 11:34 pm local time, a Agusta A119 (helicopter), registered N928KR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Big Bear City, California. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot-passenger's failure to maintain an adequate airspeed above translational lift and to maintain adequate main rotor rpm while performing a maneuvering turn under high density altitude conditions and over high mountainous terrain, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent. Also causal was the pilot-in-command's inadequate supervision of the pilot-passenger and his delayed initiation of remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 19, 2004 · about 11:34 pm local time
- Place
- Big Bear City, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Agusta A119
- Registration
- N928KR · no longer on the register · serial 14037
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While maneuvering during an intentional low altitude and low airspeed flight over upsloping high mountainous terrain, the helicopter lost effective translational lift while turning about 50 feet above ground level and the helicopter entered an uncontrolled descent and impacted hard on the mountainside. The purpose of the sales demonstration flight was to provide the prospective buyer (county sheriff) an opportunity to evaluate the helicopter in reconnaissance type missions over mountainous terrain. To facilitate the evaluation, the demonstration pilot allowed the sheriff's pilot to fly the helicopter over a route chosen by the sheriff. The sheriff's pilot had no flying experience in the model of helicopter. The flight was unremarkable until the sheriff's pilot allowed the helicopter's main rotor speed to drop while decreasing the forward airspeed to 20 knots. The demonstration pilot did not take the controls from the sheriff's pilot in time to avert the uncontrolled descent into the 8,800-foot mean sea level terrain. At the time, the outside air temperature was about +20 degrees Celsius, and the density altitude was over 11,000 feet. According to the helicopter manufacturer's performance data for hovering out of ground effect, the helicopter was about 500 pounds too heavy to hover at this altitude at the helicopter's gross weight.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 13,360 hours in all; 397 in this make and model; 198 in the last 90 days; 57 in the last 30 days; 11,579 as pilot in command; 3,484 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 217 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 15, 2004; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,997 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6B-37A (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Agusta Aerospace CORP
The flight
- Departed from: L67 Rialto CA at 11:15 pm
- Destination: L67
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from RIV, 24 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 6 |
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.