Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Red Rock, Arizona 85245
Monday, April 4, 1983 15:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

REPORTEDLY, THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND IN A MOUNTAINOUS AREA IN CALM WIND CONDITIONS. AT AN ESTIMATED DISTANCE OF 350 FT & AN ALT OF APRX 75 FT ABOVE THE TOUCHDOWN ZONE, THE NOSE OF THE HELICOPTER BEGAN A GRADUAL LEFT TURN AS THE PLT APPLIED COLLECTIVE PITCH. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, HE NOTED THAT THE TURBINE OUTLET TEMP (TOT) WAS RISING & THE MAIN ROTOR RPM WAS DECAYING. THERE WAS A DEEP GORGE AHEAD, SO HE MADE A LEFT CYCLIC TURN & LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE IN AN ATTEMPT TO REACH A CLEARING. AS HE ATTEMPTED TO STABILIZE THE HELICOPTER, IT STARTED TO ROTATE TO THE RIGHT & THE ROTOR LOW RPM WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER SETTLED INTO A JUNIPER TREE & ROLLED OVER ONTO ITS SIDE. THE AIR TEMP & ELEVATION OF THE CRASH SITE WERE 24 DEG FAHRENHEIT & 7150 FT, RESPECTIVELY. A FUNCTIONAL TEST OF THE ENG REVEALED THAT IT WOULD OPERATE WITHIN ITS LIMITS. THE CONTROL CONTINUITY COULD NOT BE ESTIMATED DUE TO SEPARATION OF THE TAIL BOOM PUSH-PULL TUBE. REPORTEDLY, THE MAIN ROTOR & ENG RPM NEEDLES HAD REMAINED JOINED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/4/1983
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City RED ROCK
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 85245
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 4
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 --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 7800
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) 30
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) -4
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 None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 6
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2459
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 22777
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 N302PS
NTSB Number LAX83FA179
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206L-1
Aircraft Series Identifier 206L-1
Aircraft Serial Number 45731
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 7
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 27 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 68
Airframe Hours 672
ELT Installed No
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ARIZONA PUBLIC SERVICE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 2445 AIRLINE AVE
Aircraft Owner City PHOENIX
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85034
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
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 External Load
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) Aerial Observation
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code
Departure City FARMINGTON
Departure State NM
Departure Country
Departure Time 2130
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 --