Salt Lake City Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Salt Lake City, Utah 84070
Friday, November 8, 1991 11:10 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AT THE BEGINNING OF THE FLIGHT, THE HELICOPTER LIFTED OFF FROM THE PARKING RAMP AND IMMEDIATELY BEGAN SPINNING AS IT ASCENDED TO AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT AT THE PEAK OF THE CLIMB, THE RATE OF ROTATION SLOWED AND THE HELICOPTER BEGAN A RAPID DESCENT. PITCH ANGLE DIFFERENCES IN THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES, ALONG WITH A DECREASE IN THE MAIN ROTOR ROTATION, WERE NOTICED. THE HELICOPTER'S PITCH ANGLE (NOSE UP AND NOSE DOWN) WAS ERRATIC. JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT, THE HELICOPTER STABILIZED AND WAS NOT ROTATING WHEN IT IMPACTED ON THE RAMP A FEW HUNDRED YARDS FROM THE TAKEOFF POINT. THE HELICOPTER WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES UPON IMPACT. SOME OF THE WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS SPINNING TO THE LEFT, WHILE OTHERS REPORTED THAT IT WAS SPINNING TO THE RIGHT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INADEQAUTE REMEDIAL ACTION, OVER CONFIDENCE IN PERSONAL ABILITY, AND LACK OF RECENT EXPEREINCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/8/1991
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1110
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City SALT LAKE CITY
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84070
Event Date Year 1991
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SALT LAKE CITY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID SLC
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 4227
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
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 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) 13
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 5
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 150
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2070
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46440
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 10:51AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5736B
NTSB Number SEA92FA016
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206B
Aircraft Series Identifier 206B
Aircraft Serial Number 3033
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 Apr 2 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HENDERSON, BRENT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9151 S. 255 W.
Aircraft Owner City SALT LAKE CITY
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84070
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CLASSIC HELICOPTER SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 9151 S. 255 W.
Operator City SALT LAKE CITY
Operator State UT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 84070
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 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) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1110
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
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 10:35AM
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 --