Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Wellington, Utah 84542
Tuesady, February 11, 1992 18:35 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE NON INSTRUMENT RATED, 371 HOUR PILOT DEPARTED EAGLE, COLORADO, IN HIS BELL 206B HELICOPTER AFTER RECEIVING A VFR NOT RECOMMENDED UPDATE TO HIS WEATHER BRIEFING. WITNESSES ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT AND AT THE ACCIDENT SITE REPORTED FOG AND POOR VISIBILITY, PRECIPITATION, LOW CEILINGS, NIGHT CONDITIONS AND SNOW COVERED GROUND. THE PILOT INITIALLY REQUESTED THAT HIS WIFE MEET THE HELICOPTER AT A LOCATION SHORT OF THE DESTINATION BUT SUBSEQUENTLY DEPARTED THE ROADSIDE LANDING SITE AFTER RELAYING INSTRUCTIONS THROUGH HIS PASSENGER FOR HER TO POSITION HER VEHICLE BENEATH POWER LINES CROSSING THE HIGHWAY WHICH CONTINUED TO THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. ON SITE EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE SKIDS HAD SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE SHATTERING DAMAGE AND WERE CONFINED TO A SMALL LOCAL AREA ASSOCIATED WITH THE INITIAL GROUND IMPACT. THE TERRAIN AT THE GROUND IMPACT SITE WAS UNEVEN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND AN EXCESSIVE RATE OF DESCENT. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE FOG, RAIN, LOW CEILINGS, NIGHT CONDITIONS, SNOW COVERED TERRAIN AND PILOT DISORIENTATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/11/1992
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1835
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City WELLINGTON
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84542
Event Date Year 1992
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1900 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 282
Weather Observation Facility ID PUC
Elevation of weather observation facility 5921
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1952
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46794
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:45PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5003U
NTSB Number SEA92FA045
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206B
Aircraft Series Identifier 206B
Aircraft Serial Number 2444
Certified Max Gross Weight 3200
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 5
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 11 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 40
Airframe Hours 4577
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name SUMMIT HELICOPTER SYSTEMS INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 600
Aircraft Owner City PRICE
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84501
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name SUMMIT HELICOPTER SYSTEMS INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 600
Operator City PRICE
Operator State UT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 84501
Operator Code YJPA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation External Load
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) Ferry
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code EGE
Departure City EAGLE
Departure State CO
Departure Country
Departure Time 1518
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code PUC
Destination City PRICE
Destination State UT
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Hover
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
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 --