Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Monument Valley, Utah 84536
Tuesady, December 24, 1985 23:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER CONTACTED POWER LINES AND THE TERRAIN DURING AN ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF FROM A HOSPITAL AFTER A CANCELLED MED-EVAC FLT. THE HOSPITAL IS LOCATED IN A BOX CANYON SURROUNDED BY HIGH TERRAIN AND POWER LINES. THE PLT WAS AWARE OF THE POWER LINE THAT CROSSED THE PROPOSED FLT PATH. A PASSEN GER STATED, AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THAT THE PLT HOVERED BACK TO THE END OF THE LANDING AREA TO INITIATE THE TAKEOFF. THE HELICOPTER STRUCK THE UNMARKED POWER LINES DURING CLIMBOUT AND DESCENDED TO GROUND IMPACT. A WITNESSES DESCRIBED THE WXAS COLD AND CLEAR WITH CALM GROUND WINDS NEAR THE HOSPITAL. THEY ALSO STATED THE NIGHT WAS BRIGHT BECAUSE OF A FULL MOON.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/24/1985
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 2330
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City MONUMENT VALLEY
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84536
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 12
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 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 Night/Bright
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) 0
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
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) --
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 2
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2846
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 25 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 120
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 30691
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 N10UB
NTSB Number DEN86FA054
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-L3
Aircraft Series Identifier 206-L3
Aircraft Serial Number 51077
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 3
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jun 14 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 56
Airframe Hours 356
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JERRY ANGERSON
Aircraft Owner Street Address 10006 BAXTER LANE
Aircraft Owner City AUSTIN
Aircraft Owner State TX
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name AIR METHOD
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address P.O. OX 4114
Operator City ENGLEWOOD
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80112
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) Positioning
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2330
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code GJC
Destination City GRAND JUNCTION
Destination State CO
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 --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --