ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 237858
Last updated: 30 July 2020
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| Date: | 11-JUL-2020 |
| Time: | 07:36 |
| Type: |  Aérospatiale AS 355F1 Ecureuil II |
| Owner/operator: | J B D Enterprises Inc |
| Registration: | N708AC |
| C/n / msn: | 5167 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 2 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | near Rifle, Garfield County, CO -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Manoeuvring (airshow, firefighting, ag.ops.) |
| Nature: | SU |
| Departure airport: | |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
On July 11, 2020, at 0734 mountain daylight time, an Aerospatiale AS355F1 helicopter, N708AC, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Rifle, Colorado. The pilot and passenger sustained serious injuries. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 aerial observation flight.
According to the operator, their flight tracking program showed that the helicopter depart the Rifle Garfield County Airport (RIL), Rifle, Colorado, and was en route to perform a low altitude aerial observation flight of transmission/power lines. The flight track ended near the accident location after a 3 to 4 minute flight about one mile southwest of RIL. Witnesses, located on a distant roadway, reportedly observed the helicopter spinning before it turned nose-down and then impacted terrain. Local law enforcement stated that a postimpact fire consumed a majority of the helicopter.
Sources:
https://www.postindependent.com/news/helicopter-crash-in-south-rifle-sends-two-to-hospital-touches-off-brush-fire/
https://www.aspentimes.com/news/two-injured-after-helicopter-crash-near-rifle-while-inspecting-power-lines/
https://www.asias.faa.gov/apex/f?p=100:95:::NO::P95_EVENT_LCL_DATE,P95_LOC_CITY_NAME,P95_REGIST_NBR:11-JUL-20,RIFLE,N708AC
https://cdn.jetphotos.com/full/5/88613_1593303921.jpg (photo)
https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfgenerator/ReportGeneratorFile.ashx?EventID=20200711X95026&AKey=1&RType=HTML&IType=LA
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 11-Jul-2020 19:45 | Geno | Added |
| 11-Jul-2020 19:45 | Geno | Updated [Phase, Nature] |
| 11-Jul-2020 19:53 | RobertMB | Updated [Aircraft type, Narrative] |
| 12-Jul-2020 13:54 | Anon. | Updated [Aircraft type] |
| 12-Jul-2020 13:54 | harro | Updated [Aircraft type, Narrative] |
| 13-Jul-2020 18:22 | RobertMB | Updated [Aircraft type, Registration, Cn, Operator, Location, Source, Narrative] |
| 14-Jul-2020 07:23 | RobertMB | Updated [Narrative] |
| 18-Jul-2020 12:01 | Captain Adam | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
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