- Date
- February 26, 1984, 07:45 local (13:45 UTC)
- Place
- Amarillo, TX
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N31213Bell UH-1B
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19840226004579A
- Case key
- 21272
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.
Analysis
Plt was advised by fss that Amarillo had snow flurries, visibility 4 miles and wind from 350 degs at 28 KTS gusting to 34 KTS, tucumcari, NM was reporting 2 miles visibility with light snow and areas further west were clearing. The plt departed Amarillo under a special VFR clearance and stated the wx was alright until west of Amarillo where visibility deteriorated to 1/2 mile with blowing snow. Because of the decreasing visibility and increasing winds the plt decided to land in an open field. Plt stated the engine intake screens iced up and a loss of RPM was experienced while maneuvering the helicopter into the wind for landing. The helicopter contacted the ground and rolled over to the right.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N31213
- Reported as
- Bell UH-1B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 62-1915
- Airframe hours
- 8,556
- Engine
- Lycoming T-53-L-11D, 1,100 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Helicopter International Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Restricted (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 22, 1984 · 20 hours before
- Departed
- AMA · Amarillo, TX
- Destination
- LAS · Las Vegas, NV
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 39
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,818 total · 550 in this make and model · 1,716 as pilot in command · 153 in the last 90 days · 6 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 360° at 28 knots, gusting 38
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 500 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 32 °F, dew point 28 °F
- Observed at
- AMA, 5 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.