- Date
- April 11, 1983, 05:45 local (12:45 UTC)
- Place
- Salt Lake City, UT
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N1759DBell 206L-1
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 15982
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The helicopter collided with the side of a mountain during a turn after departing from a hospital helipad while on an emergency medical flt to pick up a medical team to care for a critically ill child. The plt was notified at 0510 by his dispatcher. After checking wx, the plt called back & said if they want to try it there would be no guarantee. The dispatcher relayed that they (medical center) indicated a great need to go. Prior to departing the plt was heard to say 'I feel really uncomfortable about this flight.' The witness stated the plt had been rotating (rotors) outside a long time & would lift off the pad & then set it back down. From 0700 on 5/7 to 0545 on 5/11, the plt was either on duty withthe nat'l guard, hospital, flying, or going to school for a total of about 74 hrs during a period of about 95 hrs. His average rest during this period would have been about 5 hrs. The altimeter setting given to the plt by approach control was 29.69. The plt's alt was found set at 29.80, which would cause the acft to be 100 ft lower than indicated.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1759D
- Reported as
- Bell 206L-1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 45559
- Airframe hours
- 1,150
- Engine
- Allison 250-C28B, 435 lbs thrust, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Operator
- Key Airlines, Inc., doing business as [Ems]
- Registered owner
- B&A Leasing Corporation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · March 16, 1983 · 28 hours before
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 29
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,753 total · 89 in this make and model · 1,350 as pilot in command · 61 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 320° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,100 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 37 °F, dew point 36 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- SLC, 6 nm away