Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Page, Arizona 86040
Friday, July 12, 1985 16:36 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

ON JULY 12, 1984, A BELL 206B HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH A STEEL BRIDGE 10 MILES SO OF PAGE, AZ. THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING FILMED IN FLT DURING THE MAKING OF A MOVIE. VMC EXISTED AT THE TIME. THE HELICOPTER WAS DESTROYED AND THE PLT AND PAX, AN ITALIAN ACTOR, WERE FATALLY INJURED. ACCORDING TO THE WITNESSES AND THE FILM, THE ACFT WAS RETURNING TO MAKE ANOTHER PASS UNDERNEATH THE BRIDGE AND WAS PROCEEDING TOWARD THE BRIDGE IN A STRAIGHT AND LEVEL FLT ATTITUDE. WHEN THE ACFT PASSED THROUGH THE ARCH OF THE BRIDGE THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRUCK THE BRIDGE. THE ACFT SEPARATED IN FLT AND CRASHED INTO THE CANYON BELOW. THE PILOT'S BODY WAS NOT RECOVERED. A BOTTLE OF IONAMIN WAS FOUND IN HIS HOTEL ROOM. USE OF THIS DRUG SHOULD BE CONTRAINDICATED FOR 24 HOURS AFTER ITS USE BECAUSE IT MAY CAUSE ERRORS IN JUDGEMENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 7/12/1985
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1636
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City PAGE
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86040
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 7
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 Witness
Time of the weather observation 1517 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 40
Weather Observation Facility ID PGA
Elevation of weather observation facility 4310
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 10
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 12000
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) 40
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 32
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 2
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 10
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 6000
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 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1552
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jul 12 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28927
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N38942
NTSB Number LAX85FA315
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206-B
Aircraft Series Identifier 206-B
Aircraft Serial Number 3189
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Jun 26 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 31
Airframe Hours 1567
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DENNIS F. NASCA
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 253
Aircraft Owner City SALOME
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85348
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RAMSEY HELICOPTERS SERVICE
Operator Same as Owner? No
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
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) Business
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code PGA
Departure City PAGE
Departure State AZ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1620
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 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 No
Medical Flight --