DEN84LA036

NTSB accident investigation · Bell 205A-1 · Cokeville, WY · December 2, 1983

Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal report
Date
December 2, 1983, 10:45 local (17:45 UTC)
Place
Cokeville, WY
Injuries
1 uninjured
Damage
Substantial damage
Phase of flight
Enroute
Aircraft
N1084NBell 205A-1
Weather
Instrument (IMC) · Day
Status
Completed
Report
Approved by Office Director
FAA report
19831202059719A
Case key
16299

From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.

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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.

In flight encounter with weatherCruise
Planning/decision - improperPilot in commandCause
Weather condition - low ceilingFactor
Weather condition - snowFactor
Precautionary landing - initiatedPilot in command
Terrain condition - snow coveredFactor
Weather condition - whiteoutFactor
Vfr flight into imc - inadvertentPilot in commandCause
In flight collision with terrain/waterLanding

Analysis

The plt reported that snow had been falling regularily for the previous few days before the flt. He departed the staging area with 12 drill crew members. At that time, the visibility was 2 to 3 mi & a ceiling of 800 to 1000 ft. the plt flew 9 of the passengers to a seismic line on an 8000 ft ridge line, then flew the other passengers to the valley floor, where their equipment was located. During arrival, there was a 500 ft ceiling, the visibility was about 1 mi & snow was falling lightly. While landing, the rotor wash kicked up considerable snow, but the plt was able to use the drill rigs for a visual reference. He took off again to return to the staging area, but after flying aprx 1/4 mi, the snow shower increased & the visibility began dropping. He decided to land & wait for the wx to improve. However, as he approached the ground, all visual reference was lost due to snow kicked up from the rotor wash. Subsequently, the helicopter drifted to the right, the right skid dug into the snow & the helicopter rolled over.

Aircraft

Registration
N1084N
Reported as
Bell 205A-1
Category
Helicopter
Serial number
30308
Airframe hours
2,172
Engine
Lycoming T5313B, 1,250 horsepower, turbo shaft
Damage
Substantial damage
Flight
Part 135
Registered owner
Heli-Jet Corporation
Airworthiness certificate
Standard, Normal
Last inspection
Continuous airworthiness · November 11, 1983 · 32 hours before
Departed
Cokeville, WY

Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

Role
Pilot
Age
35
Certificate
Commercial
Airplane ratings
Single-engine land
Instrument ratings
Helicopter
Medical
Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
Seat
Left
Flight hours
5,361 total · 5,011 in this make and model · 5,191 as pilot in command · 67 in the last 90 days

Weather

Conditions
Instrument (IMC) · Day
Wind
50° at 5 knots
Temperature
28 °F, dew point 28 °F
Altimeter
29.00 inHg
Observed at
EVW, 52 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.