Models / Aerospatiale / SA315B / N3978Y Aircraft record N3978Y 1978 Aerospatiale SA315B Deregistered Unclaimed Source: FAA, updated Oct 19, 2026 This N-number isn't registered right now. Below is its last known registration, canceled Sep 13, 2002.
Safety record in brief: 1 NTSB accident (destroyed damage, Jul 2002) · 4 ADs may apply
NTSB events 1 destroyed, 2002 ADs may apply 4 confirm with A&P Service reports 0 since 1995
Registration FAA Aircraft Registry · Oct 19, 2026
Last registered owner Roberts Aircraft Company
Owner type Corporation
City, state Granite Canyon, WY
Certificate issued Jun 27, 1983
Canceled Sep 13, 2002
Airworthiness Standard · Normal
Airworthiness date Feb 25, 1993 We never show street addresses, even though they appear in the public FAA file. Individual owners are shown by city and state only.
Airframe & engine FAA Registry + type data Airframe
Manufacturer Aerospatiale
Model SA315B
Year 1978
Serial number 2520
Aircraft type Rotorcraft
Category Land
Certification Type Certificated
Seats 5
Engines 1
Max takeoff weight Up to 12,499 lb
Type certificate data sheet H1IN
Mode S code A4A051 Engine
Make and model Turbomeca Artousteiiib
Type Turbo-shaft
Power 858 hp Total time and engine hours aren't public. They appear here once the owner adds logbooks.
Ownership history Ownership history from FAA records 1983 – 2002 Roberts Aircraft Company Granite Canyon, WY Individual owners are shown by city and state only.
Safety record NTSB · Oct 15, 2026 · FAA ADs · Oct 19, 2026 · SDRs · Oct 16, 2026 NTSB events (1)
Accident · destroyed Jul 31, 2002 · Estes Park, CO the pilot's abrupt collective input during water application to a forest fire. Contributing factors were encountering a vortex ring state, the inadvertent settling with power, the low altitude, and the mountainous terrain.
Damage Destroyed
Injuries Fatal
Report DEN02GA085 From NTSB records; matched by serial number. Read NTSB report (search CAROL for DEN02GA085)
Accident history for this model ADs published since 1998 that may apply (4) These match the airframe or engine model. Whether each one applies, and whether it's been complied with, depends on serial numbers, equipment and logbook entries. Applicability must be confirmed by a mechanic against the aircraft's records.
AD Subject Effective Applies to 2007-19-11 Turbomeca S.A. Artouste III B, Artouste III B1, and Artouste III D Turboshaft Engines Oct 9, 2007 Engine (ARTOUSTEIIIB) 2007-01-04 Turbomeca Artouste III B and III B1 Turboshaft Engines Jan 25, 2007 Engine (ARTOUSTEIIIB)Only with: Engines fitted with a fuel pipe, part number 0 202 12 800 0. 2006-04-15 Turbomeca Artouste III B, Artouste III B1, and Artouste III D Turboshaft Engines Mar 14, 2006 Engine (ARTOUSTEIIIB) 2005-17-06 Turbomeca Artouste III Series Turboshaft Engines Sep 27, 2005 Engine (ARTOUSTEIIIB)
AI-extracted — verify against original. Matched from each AD's applicability section; ADs replaced by a later AD are left out.
Service Difficulty Reports (0) No Service Difficulty Reports found for this airframe since 1995.
Sources FAA Aircraft Registry Registration, owner city and state, airframe, engine updated Oct 19, 2026 NTSB accident and incident database Accidents and incidents since 1982 updated Oct 15, 2026 FAA Airworthiness Directives (Federal Register) ADs published since 1998 updated Oct 19, 2026 FAA Service Difficulty Reports Reports since 1995 updated Oct 16, 2026 Request owner name removal Report an error in this record