# Accident 19981003028029A: Bell 206B, Vernal, UT, October 3, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 3, 1998, 17:30 local time
- Place: Vernal, UT
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.5506° N, 109.5699° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.5506&lon=-109.5699&mi=10
- Aircraft: N992SM (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206B
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN99LA002](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA002) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19981003028029A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(.19) ON OCTOBER 3, 1998, APPROXIMATELY 1730 MOUNTAIN DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 206B, N992SM, WAS DESTROYED WHEN IT COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN DURING LANDING NEAR VERNAL, UTAH. THE PRIVATE PILOT AND HIS PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED, AND NO FLIGHT PLAN HAD BEEN FILED FOR THE PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT BEING CONDUCTED UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT STEAMBOAT SPRINGS APPROXIMATELY 1700. ACCORDING TO THE HELICOPTER OWNER, THE PILOT SAID HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND BECAUSE HIS PASSENGER WAS AIR SICK, AND HE ENCOUNTERED STRONG QUARTERING TAILWINDS. THE HELICOPTER THEN BEGAN TO SPIN TO THE LEFT. HE CORRECTED WITH OPPOSITE PEDAL, AND THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SPIN "VIOLENTLY" TO THE RIGHT. THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN AND ROLLED OVER. (-23) AIRCRAFT WAS APPROACHING SELECTED LANDING SITE FROM THE EAST, WITH QUARTERING HEADWIND FROM THE SOUTHWEST. APPLIED LEFT PEDAL TO ALIGN WITH WIND AT TOUCHDOWN AND STARTED SPINNING TO THE LEFT. PILOT APPLIED RIGHT PEDAL TO COUNTERACT AND STARTED SPINNING RAPIDLY TO THE RIGHT. PILOT ROLLED POWER OFF, LEFT SKID CONTACTED GROUND, COLLAPSING, ROTOR DROOPED SEVERING TAIL BO                          OM AND ROTOR SEPARATED FROM MAST.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB DEN99LA002](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN99LA002), Oct 3, 1998: Bell 206B (N992SM), Vernal, UT, substantial damage. Probable cause: Loss of tail rotor effectiveness. A factor was the quartering tailwind.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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