# NTSB DEN78FA041: Bell 206B3, N16873, Westwater, UT, May 9, 1978

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Closed
- Date: May 9, 1978
- Place: Westwater, UT · WESTWATER, UT
- Location: 39.0783° N, 109.1123° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Westwater, UT, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.0783&lon=-109.1123&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report June 29, 1978
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 141939
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN78FA041
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN78FA041

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-1550   78/5/9  NR.WESTWATER,UT       BELL 206B3          CR-  0  0  1  COMMERCIAL                COMMERCIAL, AGE 35, 6006
        TIME - 1100                    N16873              PX-  0  0  2  AIR TAXI-PASSG            TOTAL HOURS, 2060 IN
                                       DAMAGE-SUBSTANTIAL  OT-  0  0  0                            TYPE, NOT INSTRUMENT
                                                                                                   RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          WELL SITE SEGUNDO 2         WELL SITE PARA PARK
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           ENGINE FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION                            IN FLIGHT: DESCENDING
           HARD LANDING                                             LANDING: POWER-OFF AUTOROTATIVE LANDING
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           POWERPLANT - MISCELLANEOUS: POWERPLANT FAILURE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS
        COMPLETE POWER LOSS - COMPLETE ENGINE FAILURE/FLAMEOUT-1 ENGINE
        EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES - FORCED LANDING OFF AIRPORT ON LAND
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: N16873 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206B3
- Category: Helicopter
- Engines: turbo shaft
- Damage: Substantial damage

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19780509018939A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19780509018939A), May 9, 1978: Bell 206B, Westwater, UT, Substantial damage

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.

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