Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Yerington, Nevada 89447
Sunday, January 13, 1985 9:10 PST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT MADE AN EN ROUTE EMERGENCY LANDING DUE TO DETERIORATED WX. AFTER WAITING SOME PERIOD OF TIME, A TAKEOFF WAS ATTEMPTED BUT THE HELICOPTER WAS UNABLE TO BECOME AIRBORNE. THE HELICOPTER BOUNCED DOWN HILLY TERRAIN AND ROLLED OVER TO THE LEFT. WX AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT CONSISTED OF FREEZING TEMPS, FOG AND SNOW GRAINS. THE HELICOPTER WAS FOUND TO BE LOADED OVER THE MAX GROSS WEIGHT WHICH COMBINED WITH ICE ON THE ROTOR BLADES AND IN THE AIR INTAKE RESULTED IN A REDUCED POWER OUTPUT DURING THE ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/13/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 910
Event Time Zone Pacific Standard Time
Event City YERINGTON
Event State NEVADA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 89447
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
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 pilot
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 800 Pacific Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 210
Weather Observation Facility ID RNO
Elevation of weather observation facility 3959
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 26
Time Zone of the weather observation PST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 400
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Partial Obscuration
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
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) -10
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -12
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 30
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Moderate
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3237
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 13 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1425
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27479
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 N3185Z
NTSB Number SEA85FA040
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206BIII
Aircraft Series Identifier 206BIII
Aircraft Serial Number 3804
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 Dec 29 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 15
Airframe Hours 314
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MERI HELICOPTERS. INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1 LIBERTY STREET 612
Aircraft Owner City RENO
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89501
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WILLIAM MEYERS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 1 LIBERTY STE 612
Operator City RENO
Operator State NV
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 89501
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code RNO
Departure City RENO
Departure State NV
Departure Country
Departure Time 825
Departure Time Zone PST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 043
Destination City IONE
Destination State NV
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --