Unknown Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Carson, New Mexico 87517
Sunday, January 20, 1985 23:15 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER CRASHED IN OPEN TERRAIN DURING A TURN TO REVERSE DIRECTION. WITNESSES STATED THE ACFT WAS HEADING NORTH AND WAS ON A CONVERGING COURSE WITH HIGH TENSION LINES THAT WERE ABOUT 80 TO 100 FT HIGH AND THE BELLY COUNTED SPOTLIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED WHEN IT PASSED OVERHEAD. THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED SNOW COVERED TERRAIN IN A STEEP DESCENDING BANK TO THE RIGHT AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED ON A SOUTHERLY HEADING. THE POWER LINES SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF HAVING BEEN STRUCK. THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS 300 FT EAST OF THE POWER LINES.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/20/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2315
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City CARSON
Event State NEW MEXICO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 87517
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport UNKNOWN
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 15
Degrees magnetic from airport 190
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 2315
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 Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 100
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 100
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1472
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 21 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 125
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28843
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N40TE
NTSB Number DEN85FA067
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
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 45712
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 --
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 18 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 10
Airframe Hours 7237
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EDWARD M. ZIMMER, JR. TRUSTEE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2825 LAGUNA CANYON ROAD
Aircraft Owner City LAGUNA BEACH
Aircraft Owner State CA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 92652
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name EMS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address PO BOX 10711
Operator City NEW ORLEANS
Operator State LA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 70181
Operator Code
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 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 ABQ
Departure City ALBUQUERQUE
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 2219
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code TACO
Destination City TAOS
Destination State NM
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
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 Yes
Medical Flight --