# NTSB DEN81FTM12: Aerospatle SA315B, N6390, Heber City, UT, March 16, 1981

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Closed
- Date: March 16, 1981
- Place: Heber City, UT · HEBER CITY, UT
- Location: 40.5069° N, 111.4132° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Heber City, UT, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.5069&lon=-111.4132&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 5 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report May 22, 1981
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 126474
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN81FTM12
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN81FTM12

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-0794  81/3/16  NR.HEBER CITY,UT      AEROSPATLE SA315B   CR-  0  0  1  COMMERCIAL                COMMERCIAL, AGE 35, 3125
        TIME - 1240                    N6390               PX-  0  0  4  AIR TAXI-PASSG            TOTAL HOURS, 63 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-SUBSTANTIAL  OT-  0  0  0                            INSTRUMENT RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          WALLSBURG,UT                LOCAL
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: UNCONTROLLED                LANDING: POWER-ON LANDING
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - INITIATED FLIGHT IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
           MISCELLANEOUS ACTS,CONDITIONS - WHITEOUT
           PILOT IN COMMAND - SPATIAL DISORIENTATION
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
           WEATHER - SNOW
           WEATHER - OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION
        WEATHER BRIEFING - NO RECORD OF BRIEFING RECEIVED
        WEATHER FORECAST - UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES - PRECAUTIONARY LANDING OFF AIRPORT
                                  ADVERSE/UNFAVORABLE WEATHER
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OVERCAST                                                  300
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          1/4 MILE OR LESS                                         SNOW SHOWERS
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TEMPERATURE-F
          BLOWING SNOW                                              30
        WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES                                   WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS
          240                                                       45
        TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS                               TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          IFR                                                      NONE
        REMARKS- WX DTRTD WHILE WAITING 20MIN FOR PAX TO WALK THRU SNW TO HELICOPTER.AFTER TKOF WX CONTD TO DTRT.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: N6390 (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: AEROSPATLE SA315B
- 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 19810316010469A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810316010469A), Mar 16, 1981: Aerosp SA315B, Heber City, UT, Substantial damage. Lost control due to vertigo in a whiteout. Trying to effect a precautionary landing in a heavy snow squall.

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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