Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Park City, Utah 84060
Wednesday, April 5, 1989 10:20 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE TRANSPORTING SKIERS IN A REMOTE AREA NEAR PARK CITY, UT, A BELL 206B-III HELICOPTER CRASHED ON TAKEOFF AFTER ENCOUNTERING STRONG DOWN-SLOPE WINDS WITH GUSTS DURING A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLIGHT WHICH CAUSED PWR REQUIRED TO EXCEED PWR AVAILABLE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

AN ENCOUNTER WITH STRONG DOWN-SLOPE WINDS AND GUSTS DURING A CRITIACAL PHASE OF FLIGHT WHICH CAUSED POWER REQUIRED TO EXCEED POWER AVAILABLE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE DOWNHILL TERRAIN AND THE DOWNDRAFT CONDITIONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/5/1989
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 1020
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City PARK CITY
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84060
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 4
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1030 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 330
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 9700
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 40
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 8100
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 5
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 90
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 5 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1215
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38283
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:35PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N16733
NTSB Number DEN89FA101
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
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 206B-III
Aircraft Series Identifier 206B-III
Aircraft Serial Number 2138
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Feb 27 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 62
Airframe Hours 3556
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name AVMAN, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2244 SOUTH 1640 WEST
Aircraft Owner City WOODS CROSS
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84087
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code KBTA
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 Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Unknown
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City PARK CITY
Departure State UT
Departure Country
Departure Time 1000
Departure Time Zone MDT
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 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 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --