- Date
- December 8, 1984, 09:15 local (16:15 UTC)
- Place
- Spanish Fork, UT
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N5124XHughes 369D
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19841208065529A
- Case key
- 16606
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
Shortly after takeoff plt felt shutter in acft and noticed a rise in the turbine outlet temp. Plt heard low whine of high pitch noise in engine. Engine chip detector light came on followed by the engine out light and horn and oil pressure warning light. Autorotation made to opening at bottom of canyon. On touchdown acft slid forward in 1 ft deep snow, rt skid collapsed and helicopter rolled over on its right side. Inspection revealed evidence of oil starvation in turbine and compressor sections. Turbine bearings failed, gearbox bearings bore evidence of high heat distortion and oil starvation was evident in compressor bearings. Lubrication system components were checked and operated normally. A 1 1/8 in disk of gasket like material was found in oil reservoir. Disk was similiar to those in caps on quarts of oil. Disk was same size as opening to oil pump and engine. When placed over opening oil flow from tank to engine was blocked. Extra qts of oil often were on board acft so plt could ass oil if required.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5124X
- Reported as
- Hughes 369D
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 911099D
- Airframe hours
- 983
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 375 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- Rocky Mountain Helicopters,
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 30, 1984 · 79 hours before
- Departed
- PUC · Price, UT
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 50
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 9,725 as pilot in command · 155 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 1 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 32 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PVU, 22 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.