Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Totes Gebirge Australia
Friday, February 8, 2008 8:30 UTC

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On February 8, 2008, at 0830 UTC, a Bell 206B, Austrian registration OE-XRH, serial number 2795, was destroyed when the helicopter struck a cableway cable while maneuvering in mountainous terrain, and subsequently impacted terrain in the vicinity of Totes Gebirge, an 8,251 foot mountain located approximately 45 miles east of Salzburg, Austria. A post crash fire ensued consuming the cabin. The two persons on board were killed in the crash. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. This investigation is under the jurisdiction and control of the Austrian government. Any further information may be obtained from: Federal Office of Transport Accident Investigation Branch/Department of Aviation P.O. Box 3000 Lohnergasse 9 A-1210 Vienna Austria This report is for informational purposes only and contains only information released by, or obtained from, the Federal Office of Transport, Accident Investigation Branch of Austria.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/8/2008
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 830
Event Time Zone Coordinated Universal Time? Same as GMT
Event City Totes Gebirge
Event State UNKNOWN
Event Country AUSTRALIA
Zipcode of the event site 00000
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 474113N
Event Location Longitude 0135206E
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
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 --
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) -4
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 135
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 9
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.69
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency Foreign
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) --
NTSB Notification Source Austrian federal Office of Tra
NTSB Notification Date Mar 3 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Mar 19 2008 9:30AM
User who most recently changed record ntsb\Administrator
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Austrian Federal Office of Transport/AIB

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number --
NTSB Number DEN08WA062
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Non-U.S., Non-Commercial
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire --
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Bell
Aircraft Model 206B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number --
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 --
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name --
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? --
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? --
Operator Street Address --
Operator City --
Operator State UN
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code --
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) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code LOLW
Departure City Wels
Departure State UN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
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 Maneuvering
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 19 2008 9:11AM
User who most recently changed record BOWL
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --