Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Scipio, Utah 84656
Sunday, June 28, 1992 12:25 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE EMS HELICOPTER ENCOUNTERED CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE WHILE EN ROUTE TO PICK UP A PATIENT. DURING THE EVENT, THE NOSE PITCHED UP RAPIDLY TO ABOUT 20 DEGREES, ACTIVATING THE ELT. THE PILOT FELT FEEDBACK THROUGH THE CONTROLS AND LANDED TO RESET THE ELT. LATER, THE PILOT NOTED MAST TORQUE FLUCTUATIONS FOLLOWED BY A ZERO READING ON THE GAUGE. POSTFLIGHT INSPECTION DISCLOSED THE TRANSMISSION HAD CONTACTED ITS MOUNTS, SEVERING SEVERAL ELECTRICAL LEADS INCLUDING THE TORQUE SENSOR. A CRACK WAS ALSO DISCOVERED ABOUT 2 1/2 FEET OUTBOARD OF THE MAIN BLADE GRIP, PROPAGATING BACK FROM THE BLADE LEADING EDGE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN ENCOUNTER WITH CLEAR AIR TURBULENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 6/28/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1225
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City SCIPIO
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84656
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 6
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 Partial - limited by briefer
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 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 15
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 25
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 5018
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 1 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1030
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46792
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:59PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N222UH
NTSB Number DEN92IA067
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 222UT
Aircraft Series Identifier 222UT
Aircraft Serial Number 47545
Certified Max Gross Weight 8250
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Continuous Airworthiness
Date of Last Inspection Jun 12 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 26
Airframe Hours 3575
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AIR METHODS CORPORATION
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 4114
Aircraft Owner City ENGLEWOOD
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 80155
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AIR METHODS CORPORATION
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address P.O. BOX 4114
Operator City ENGLEWOOD
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80155
Operator Code CKLA
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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PVU
Departure City PROVO
Departure State UT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1150
Departure Time Zone MDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code NONE
Destination City PANGUITCH
Destination State UT
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --