- Date
- October 8, 2024, 04:30 local (10:30 UTC)
- Place
- Kamas, UT
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N631HCAgustawestland AW109SP
- Defining event
- Landing: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20241008017699A
- Case key
- 195279
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 exceedance of the helicopter’s available power while landing in a confined area, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness and a hard landing.
Findings · 4
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
The pilot of the helicopter reported that he mistakenly added more fuel than was required to complete a mountainous terrain, confined area landing at an elevation of 10,276 ft msl. During his approach to the landing area, the helicopter descended below the tree line preventing a go-around. As the helicopter descended, the pilot increased collective to add power, but he observed a high torque indication of 111% and he felt the “sluggish” performance of the helicopter. The tail rotor effectiveness diminished, an uncommanded right yaw ensued, and the helicopter landed hard, which resulted in substantial damage to the lower fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the powered glider that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N631HC
- Reported as
- Agustawestland AW109SP
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 22312
- Built
- 2013
- Airframe hours
- 3,230.7
- Engines
- Pratt & Whitney PW207C, 700 horsepower, turbo shaftPratt & Whitney PW207C, 700 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 135
- Operator
- Ihc Health Services Inc, doing business as Intermountain Life Flight
- Registered owner
- Ihc Health Services Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · September 29, 2024
- Departed
- UT06 · Logan, UT
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Electronic multifunction display, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Satellite tracking device, Electronic primary flight display, Onboard weather, Data recorder
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 · 3
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 59
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- April 14, 2024
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 5,127 total · 170 in this make and model · 5,000 as pilot in command · 37 in the last 90 days · 14 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Other flight crew
- Injuries
- None
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Role
- Other flight crew
- Injuries
- Minor
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night
- Wind
- 170° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 27 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.28 inHg
- Observed at
- KEVW, 26 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KEVW 081053Z AUTO 17005KT 10SM CLR 10/M03 A3028 RMK AO2 SLP170 T01001028=
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 8, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.3 MB 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.