- Date
- February 18, 1986, 09:20 local (16:20 UTC)
- Place
- Grand Junction, CO
- Injuries
- 3 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N1424WBell 47G3 B-2
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860218002959A
- Case key
- 16921
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 plt stated that while turning to the intended landing area, the helicopter he was piloting encountered both downdrafts & tailwind. The plt indicated the helicopter settled until grnd contact.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1424W
- Reported as
- Bell 47G3 B-2
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 6729
- Airframe hours
- 5,904
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 317 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- Thunderbird Helicopters, Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 13, 1985 · 67 hours before
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
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
- 41
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,544 total · 641 in this make and model · 5,131 as pilot in command · 195 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 180° at 20 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,500 ft broken
- 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.
Other investigations on N1424W · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.