Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Coalville, Utah 84017
Saturday, February 25, 1984 10:00 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER WAS EQUIPPED WITH 'BEAR PAWS'. SNOWSHOE-LIKE DEVICES ON THE SKIDS TO DISTRIBUTE WEIGHT ON SOFT SURFACES. THE BEAR PAWS ON THIS ACFT ROTATED FREELY AROUND THE SKIDS, NOT TIGHTENED DOWN AS PER DESIGN SPEC. ALSO, BEAR PAWS ARE NOT APPROVED FOR AMERICAN ACFT BY THE FAA. THIS HELICOPTER LANDED ON WHAT THE PILOT THOUGHT WAS A FIRM LANDING SURFACE BUT WAS ACTUALLY 5 FT OF SNOW COVERED WITH A THIN CRUST OF ICE. A PASSENGER THAT THE PILOT HAD DEBOARDED EARLIER ABOUT 900 FT DOWN THE MOUNTAIN, STATED THAT HE SAW THE HELICOPTER ROLL OVER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE APRX 5 MINS AFTER HE LEFT THE AIRCRAFT. THIS INDIVIDUAL STATED THAT THE PILOT DID NOT SHUT DOWN THE HELICOPTER AFTER HE WAS LEFT OFF. DURING THE ROLLOVER, ONE BLADE OF THE ROTOR SLICED THROUGH THE COCKPIT IT DEPARTED THE ACFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/25/1984
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1000
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City COALVILLE
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84017
Event Date Year 1984
Event Date Month 2
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 Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 950 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 250
Weather Observation Facility ID SLC
Elevation of weather observation facility 4227
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 38
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 4000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 700
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -2
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 200
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 7882
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 --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1671
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 25490
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 N16803
NTSB Number DEN84FA102
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 206B-III
Aircraft Series Identifier 206B-III
Aircraft Serial Number 2225
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 AAIP
Date of Last Inspection Dec 6 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 259
Airframe Hours 4601
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name REDSTONE INVESTMENTS, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1965
Aircraft Owner City GRAND JUNCTION
Aircraft Owner State CO
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 81502
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WIEBE GORTMAKER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3000 PEARL ST.
Operator City BOULDER
Operator State CO
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 80306
Operator Code NM-3
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 WANSHIP
Departure State UT
Departure Country
Departure Time 810
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 Landing
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 --