- Date
- February 1, 2009, 12:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Bountiful, UT
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N944URobinson Helicopter R44 II
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report April 15, 2009
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Salt Lake FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20090201000379A
- Case key
- 73303
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 pilot's improper decision to fly at low altitude while maneuvering in mountainous terrain in a canyon and inadvertently exceeding the climb capability of the helicopter. Contributing to the accident were a high density altitude, mountainous terrain, and a tailwind encountered during the attempted course reversal.
Findings · 5
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
While en route to her destination, the pilot elected to fly the helicopter up a canyon toward rising terrain. Soon after making a low pass over a ridge above 8,000 feet mean sea level, the pilot increased collective in order to climb over upcoming higher terrain. As the collective was increased, the rotor rpm started to drop. The pilot immediately increased throttle, reversed course to fly downhill, and lowered the collective. During the turn, the helicopter encountered a quartering tailwind and began to settle toward the snow-covered down-sloping terrain. Soon thereafter the helicopter contacted the terrain, bounced back into the air, and a main rotor blade severed the tail boom. The helicopter rotated 180 degrees, impacted the terrain, and rolled over. According to the pilot there was no evidence of an engine power loss or any anomaly with the flight control system.
Factual narrative
While en route to her destination, the pilot elected to fly the helicopter up a canyon toward rising terrain. Soon after making a "low pass" over a ridge above 8,000 feet mean sea level (MSL), the pilot increased collective in order to climb over upcoming terrain. As the collective was increased, the rotor RPM started to drop. The pilot immediately increased throttle, reversed course to fly downhill, and lowered the collective. During the turn, the helicopter encountered a quartering tailwind and began to settle toward the snow-covered terrain. Soon thereafter the helicopter contacted the terrain, but bounced back into the air. Immediately thereafter a main rotor blade severed the tail boom, and the helicopter impacted the terrain. According to the pilot, there was no evidence of an engine power loss or any anomaly with the flight control system.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N944U
- Reported as
- Robinson Helicopter R44 II
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 10766
- Airframe hours
- 2,035
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-AE1A5, 205 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Upper Limit Aviation
- Registered owner
- Tumbleweed Leasing Company Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · January 28, 2009
- Departed
- kslc · Salt Lake City, UT
- Destination
- 42u · Morgan, 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
- 21
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- August 23, 2008
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 524 total · 101 in this make and model · 433 as pilot in command · 194 in the last 90 days · 63 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
Docket · 1
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 20, 2009, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 611 KB in all.
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 N944U · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.