- Date
- July 18, 1989, 13:15 local (19:15 UTC)
- Place
- Duchesne, UT
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N1086CBell 206B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 9, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890718023749A
- Case key
- 17598
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The pilot failed to maintain clearance from the power line. Contributing factors were: lack of mission training provided by the company/operator, the pilot's lack of experience in this type of operation, his lack of familiarity with the geographic area, and the company/operator's inadequate substantiation process to assure the experience level of newly hired pilots.
Analysis
The helicopter was being operated on a specialized power line patrol to conduct 'korona measuring' for a 'leakage' check of the transmission line. This check required that the helicopter be flown at a constant altitude & speed, & at a distance of 100' or less from the power line. While patrolling eastbound, the main rotor struck the north static line. Subsequently, the main rotor, swash plate, & transmission/rotor mast separated & the helicopter crashed. When the helicopter did not return from the patrol, a search was organized. The wreckage was found the next day at 1045 MDT. The plt & 1 pax were deceased, but the other pax appeared to be alive; however, he died before medical assistance arrived. No preimpact part failure or malfunction of the helicopter was found. An investigation revealed this was the pilot's 1st power line patrol. On his application for recent employment with the company, he indicated he had over 1900 hrs of flt time; however, only 585 hrs of flt time could be verified. He did not rcv mission training for this flt.
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.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1086C
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2996
- Airframe hours
- 6,103
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 317 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- Rocky Mountain Helicopter
- Registered owner
- Michael Zicka Leasing Co
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · June 29, 1989 · 84 hours before
- Departed
- PVU · Provo, UT
- Destination
- PVU · Provo, UT
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
- 34
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane, Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 585 total · 57 in this make and model · 35 in the last 90 days · 35 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 60 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.