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CEN11CA213

2011-03-01 · Glenwood Springs, Colorado, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport GWS

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot’s improper takeoff procedure, which resulted in a dynamic rollover when the left skid contacted the ground.

Factual narrative

The pilot refueled his helicopter and was performing a takeoff from an area near the airport’s fuel pumps. As the helicopter began to lift, the pilot allowed the helicopter’s tail to remain in a low attitude. As a result, the aft end of the left skid contacted the ground and the helicopter experienced a dynamic rollover. The helicopter came to rest on its left side and the pilot was able to exit unassisted. The helicopter’s fuselage and tail boom sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot refueled his helicopter and was performing a takeoff from an area near the airport’s fuel pumps. As the helicopter began to lift, the pilot allowed the helicopter’s tail to remain in a low attitude. As a result, the aft end of the left skid contacted the ground and the helicopter experienced a dynamic rollover. The helicopter came to rest on its left side, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage and tail boom. The pilot reported that there were no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database Retrieved: 2026-02-12

NTSB Findings

FAA avdata. C = Cause, F = Factor.

  • C Personnel issues-Task performance-Use of equip/info-Aircraft control-Pilot - C

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_2011_CEN11CA213.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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