19920301004799A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Helio HST-550A · Salome, AZ · March 1, 1992

Date: March 1, 1992 · 15:00 local
Place: Salome, AZ
Phase of flight: Unauth Low Level Opns
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N550HZ
NTSB investigation: NTSBLAX92LA133
Reported as: Helio HST550A
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A27
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,725 total72 in this make and model81 in the last 90 days

N550HZRegistered now · Helio HST-550AS/N 007 · Built 1972 Airframe modelHelio HST-550A Engine modelPratt & Whitney PT6A seriesTurbo-prop

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Approached mountain lee side at unsafe altitude. Encountered severe downdraft. Crashed on mountainside.

As the FAA filed it

APPROACHED MOUNTAIN LEE SIDE AT UNSAFE ALTITUDE. ENCOUNTERED SEVERE DOWNDRAFT. CRASHED ON MOUNTAINSIDE.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB LAX92LA133Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportSalome, AZThe pilot's inadequate in-flight planning, improper altitude, and delaying the required remedial action to prevent the collision with the mountain. Contributing to the accident was the unfavorable wind and downdraft conditions.Mar 1, 1992 · Destroyed