- Date
- October 26, 1984, 11:05 local (17:05 UTC)
- Place
- Lima, MT
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N8624Aerospatiale SA316B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19841026058899A
- Case key
- 16595
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
Aprx 35 min prior to the accident the seismic operations being conducted about 10 mi NE were secured due to poor visibility and high winds. The plt estimated wind to have been from 180 deg at 40 KTS gusting to 60. As the plt approached the landing zone downwind the helicopter began to settle and the plt began a right turn into the wind. According to the plt at aprx 75 ft AGL he began to lose control of the acft. Nearing the ground he pulled all available collective pitch but could not control the sink rate. On contact with the ground the tail spun 20 to 30 deg to the left and the acft rolled over onto it's right side.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N8624
- Reported as
- Aerospatiale SA316B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1714
- Airframe hours
- 7,725
- Engine
- Turbomeca ARTOUSTE IIIB, 562 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Nor West Helicopters, Inc., doing business as P.O. Box 1562
- Registered owner
- Mountain Air Helicopters, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 15, 1984 · 66 hours before
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
- 35
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 11 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 40 knots, gusting 60
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 30 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.