Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Bountiful, Utah 84010
Saturday, December 9, 2006 11:30 MST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot was taking a passenger on a local sight-seeing flight, and flew up a mountain canyon. As he started up the canyon, he encountered a slight wind gust, but decided to continue up the canyon. Eventually, he encountered gusting variable wind conditions and significant downdrafts. He elected to turn around and fly out of the canyon. As soon as he started to turn, the helicopter encountered a strong downdraft, and it began to sink rapidly. The main rotor rpm began to slow, and the pilot increased power and lowered the collective. Although he was able to fly out of this downdraft, the helicopter entered another strong downdraft, and sank toward terrain with its main rotor rpm decreasing. In order to stop the descent, the pilot raised the collective, but the helicopter continued to sink, and the main rotor rpm again began to decay. By that time, the pilot was very close to the terrain, and decided to land instead of trying to fly further in the presence of the strong downdrafts. Although the pilot was able to successfully touch down in an open area, soon after the skids came in contact with the rough, steeply-sloped terrain, the helicopter rolled onto its side.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper decision to fly up a mountain canyon at low level without knowledge of the wind conditions. Factors associated with the accident are gusty winds, downdrafts, and rough/uneven terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 12/9/2006 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1130 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Standard Time |
| Event City | Bountiful |
| Event State | UTAH |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 84010 |
| Event Date Year | 2006 |
| Event Date Month | 12 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 405302N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1114626W |
| 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 | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Pilot |
| Time of the weather observation | |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | -- |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | -- |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | -- |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | -- |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | -- |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 2 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -- |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 15 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | -- |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 2 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 21378 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Operations Center |
| NTSB Notification Date | Dec 9 2006 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 25 2007 2:54PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\lema |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Salt Lake City FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N611SC |
| NTSB Number | SEA07LA028 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| 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 | Robinson |
| Aircraft Model | R-22 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 3869 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 1370 |
| Aircraft Category | Helicopter |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | No |
| Flight Crew Seats | -- |
| Cabin Crew Seats | -- |
| Passenger Seats | -- |
| Total number of seats on the aircraft | 2 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | AAIP |
| Date of Last Inspection | Nov 1 2006 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 20 |
| Airframe Hours | 674 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | -- |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | -- |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Fly LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Panaca |
| Aircraft Owner State | NV |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 89043 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Suncrest Aviation |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Spanish Fork |
| Operator State | UT |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 84660 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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) | Personal |
| Second Pilot on Board | -- |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | KBTF |
| Departure City | Bountiful |
| Departure State | UT |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1110 |
| Departure Time Zone | MST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | KBTF |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | -- |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Maneuvering |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Feb 28 2007 5:34PM |
| User who most recently changed record | STAM |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |