- Date
- August 26, 1983, 16:30 local (22:30 UTC)
- Place
- Tucker, UT
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N3900BBell 206L-1
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19830826044339A
- Case key
- 16146
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 was being used on a seismic data acquistion operation. While landing by a road in mountainous terrain at an elevation of aprx 8400 ft, the helicopter was observed to approach to a hover over the roadway. A considerable amount of dust was blown from the rotor downwash causing personnel on the ground to cover their eyes & look away. The helicopter was next observed to pull up & away from the ground personnel, then move up the hill (beside the road) & turn right to face the hillside. Ground personnel reported that it then made an unusual noise, spun around, began to whip back & forth, then descended into trees in an uncontrolled manner. After impact, it rolled down the hillside & cameto rest at the road. The plt was injured & could not remember the occurrence. Ground personnel thought the eng lost power, but no preimpact failure was found. Several circuit breakers were 'out' but 2 of them (boost pump) would normallyhave been pulled after landing. Wind from south, 10 KTS. Witness said, gust blew dust back toward acft, while hovering.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3900B
- Reported as
- Bell 206L-1
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 45609
- Airframe hours
- 802
- Engine
- Allison 250-C30P, 650 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Air Services Intnl
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · August 25, 1983
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 43
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 6,322 total · 221 in this make and model · 4,291 as pilot in command · 232 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 50 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 41 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PVU, 32 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.