NTSB CAROL · Event
Event DEN89LA189
Registry · N12DY
FAA Aircraft Registry record.
Make / Model
YOUNG DANIEL R PITTS MODEL 12
Year of manufacture
2008
Engine
AMA/EXPR UNKNOWN ENG
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
20081120
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A051BB
Registrant of record
YOUNG DANIEL R
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
IMPROPER INFLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT. THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, TAIL WIND, GUSTS, AND TERRAIN WERE RELATED FACTORS.
Factual narrative
THE COMMERCIAL PLT WAS FLYING A CAMERAMAN, WHO WAS FILMING A HIKER AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 13,000 FT IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE WIND WAS FROM 280 DEG AT 15, GUSTING TO 25 KNOTS. AFTER TURNING DOWNWIND, THE HELICOPTER BEGAN AN UNCOMMANDED RIGHT YAW. THE PLT SAID THAT FULL LEFT PEDAL FAILED TO STOP THE TURN AND HE ATTEMPTED TO LAND. THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN IN A RIGHT YAW AND THE SKIDS COLLAPSED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE TAIL ROTOR AND BOTH GEAR BOXES WERE DAMAGED. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_1989_DEN89LA189.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
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