- Date
- February 4, 1990, 11:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Winthrop, WA
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N49573Bell 206B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 15, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900204001539A
- Case key
- 41166
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.
Water contamination of the fuel and the pilot's inadequate preflight of the aircraft. Darkness and the obstructions in the emergency landing area were related factors.
Analysis
During a local flight to transport skiers to a mountain, the pilot initiated a descent for landing. When approximately 30 ft AGL, descent was terminated due to loss of visibility from blowing snow. When the snow settled, descent was continued. Just prior to touchdown, visibility was again reduced and the pilot lost his reference point. The helicopter touched down left skid first and immediately rolled over.
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
- N49573
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 1665
- Airframe hours
- 5,309
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20B, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- Cascade Helicopters
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · December 21, 1989 · 23 hours before
- Departed
- Mazama, WA
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
- 44
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 3,981 total · 1,442 in this make and model · 3,484 as pilot in command · 13 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 21 °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 N49573 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.