Ogden Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Ogden, Utah 84405
Monday, June 2, 2008 8:15 MDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The instructor pilot and the private pilot under instruction arrived at the location where they were going to practice pinnacle approaches and landings. They reconnoitered the area at 300 feet above ground level (agl) in preparation for landing. They performed a power check at 500 feet agl, and concluded that engine power was sufficient to maintain an out of ground effect hover. The student began the approach at 350 feet agl. The helicopter's rate of descent was 500 feet per minute (fpm) at 25 knots of airspeed. Settling with power (vortex ring state) can be encountered when rates of descent are greater than 300 feet per minute and airspeed below that of translational lift. The helicopter began to overshoot the point of intended landing, and the approach became almost vertical. At 30 feet agl, the helicopter's descent rate increased and the student aborted the approach and began a go-around. The instructor realized that rotor revolutions-per-minute (rpm) had degraded below the normal range, so he took the control of the helicopter. Because the go-around had been initiated, the helicopter was moving forward slowly over a descending slope and the instructor was not able to land the helicopter. He attempted to gain power by lowering and raising collective; however, the helicopter's skid contacted the ground and the helicopter rolled over.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot under instruction's encounter with a settling with power condition, and the flight instructor's failure to maintain adequate rotor rpm during the subsequent go-around. Also causal was the instructor pilot's delayed remedial action during the approach sequence and his inadequate supervision of the flight.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/2/2008
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 815
Event Time Zone Mountain Daylight Time
Event City Ogden
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84405
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 412117N
Event Location Longitude 1120023W
Event Location Airport Ogden
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KOGD
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 9
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 853 Mountain Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID KOGD
Elevation of weather observation facility 4473
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
Time Zone of the weather observation MDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 11000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
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) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 110
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.98
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 23857
NTSB Notification Source FAA Com Center
NTSB Notification Date Jun 2 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jun 30 2008 11:48AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Salt Lake City

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1510A
NTSB Number LAX08CA138
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 --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Schweizer
Aircraft Model 300C
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 1886
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 1
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 High Desert Helicopters LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name High Desert Helicopters, LLC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Ogden
Operator State UT
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 KOGD
Departure City Ogden
Departure State UT
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone --
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code KOGD
Destination City --
Destination State --
Destination Country --
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jun 27 2008 5:13PM
User who most recently changed record COOS
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location NA
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --