Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Grand Canyon, Arizona 86023
Thursday, December 8, 1983 14:15 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE HELICOPTER STRUCK A CABLE WHILE FLYING ABOUT 25 FT AGL IN THE GRAND CANYON. THE ACFT WAS ON AN AERIAL OBSERVATION TO SURVEY AND ACQUAINT A PASSENGER WITH THE ARIZONA STRIP WILDERNESS DISTRICT. PHOENIX FSS HIGHLY RECOMMENDS THAT PLTS NOT FLY DOWN INTO THE CANYON. THE CABLES WERE ABOUT 34 FT ABOVE THE SURFACE OF THE COLORADO RIVER AND THE HELICOPTER WENT BELOW THE CABLE WHICH CONTACTED THE MAIN ROTOR MAST AND SEPARATED IT FROM THE FUSELAGE. SINCE THIS ACCIDENT CABLES IN GRANDS CANYON NATIONAL PARK WERE MARKED WTH ORANGE BALLS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/8/1983
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1415
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City GRAND CANYON
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86023
Event Date Year 1983
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 Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1345 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 105
Weather Observation Facility ID GCN
Elevation of weather observation facility 6606
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 40
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
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) 50
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 9
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 250
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
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 --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2849
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 23144
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:16AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N113ML
NTSB Number LAX84FA097
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
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 2709
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Nov 5 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 82
Airframe Hours 2869
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ACTION JET RANGER HELICOPTERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 241 E. RENO AVE.
Aircraft Owner City LAS VEGAS,
Aircraft Owner State NV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 89119
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 196E. TABERNACLE
Operator City ST. GEORGE
Operator State UT
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 84770
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) Public Use
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 1308
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code SGU
Destination City ST. GEORGE
Destination State UT
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 --