- Date
- December 27, 1983, 12:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place
- Mountain City, NV
- Injuries
- 2 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N206JHBell 206B III
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19831227064299A
- Case key
- 24128
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 helicopter collided with the snow covered ground after the eng quit during a power-line patrol at about 30 ft AGL. The plt reported that the visibility was 1/2 mile with light snow falling. He also said he could see 4 to 7 of the supporting structures. These poles are spaced about 350 ft apart so seven poles totals less than 1/2 mile. The bell 206BFLT manual states that 'operations are permitted in falling snow when visibility is in excess of 1/2 mile, but flt duration is limited to 1 and 1/2 hours.' Investigation of the engine after the accident revealed that when the top plug of the fuel pump filter was loosened, the sound of escaping air was noted. Investigation also revealed that on the day of the accident the forward fuel boost pump had been replaced with a new IC-38-L type pump which had been signed off as having been checked for pressure and bled.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N206JH
- Reported as
- Bell 206B III
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2918
- Airframe hours
- 1,220
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 317 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation · Part 91
- Operator
- Idaho Helicopters
- Registered owner
- Farm Development Corporation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 4, 1983 · 39 hours before
- Departed
- Boise, ID
- Destination
- Mountain City, NV
- 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
- 52
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter, Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 12,860 total · 3,500 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 5 knots, gusting 5
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 7,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 18 °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 N206JH · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.