Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Salt Lake City, Utah 84101
Saturday, February 26, 1994 14:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

SOON AFTER LANDING ON THE SNOW COVERED RIDGE TO PICK UP SOME SKIERS, THE PILOT BECAME UNCOMFORTABLE WITH HIS SELECTED LANDING SITE. HE THEREFORE ATTEMPTED TO INITIATE A TAKEOFF, SO AS TO RELOCATE TO A MORE SUITABLE LOCATION. AS HE BEGAN HIS LIFT-OFF, THE SNOW PACK AT THE LANDING SITE BROKE LOOSE FROM THE RIDGE. AS THE SNOW PACK GAVE WAY, THE MAIN ROTOR SYSTEM IMPACTED THE TERRAIN, AND THE HELICOPTER ROLLED DOWN THE HILL SIDE FOR ABOUT 800 FEET.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A LANDING SITE. FACTORS INCLUDE SNOW COVERED TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/26/1994
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1430
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City SALT LAKE CITY
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84101
Event Date Year 1994
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 14000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 14000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -11
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 15
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 437
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 1 1994 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Mar 17 2006 2:58PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N2752U
NTSB Number SEA94LA073
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206 L-1
Aircraft Series Identifier 206 L-1
Aircraft Serial Number 45258
Certified Max Gross Weight 4150
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 7
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 18 1994 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 8
Airframe Hours 5452
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CLASSIC HELICOPTERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2244 SOUTH 1640 WEST
Aircraft Owner City WOODS CROSS
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84081
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CLASSIC HELICOPTERS
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 2244 SOUTH 1640 WEST
Operator City OODS CROSS
Operator State UT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 84081
Operator Code JAPA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BTF
Departure City BOUNTIFUL
Departure State UT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1100
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --