Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Carbon County Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Price, Utah 84501
Saturday, July 19, 2008 15:40 MDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Prior to departure, the helicopter was refueled, a child passenger was replaced with an adult, and additional baggage (exact weight unknown) was added. While fueling, the pilot had a discussion with another pilot stating that the conditions at the airport may make the departure more difficult. The helicopter was observed taking off to the south and then making a right turn towards the northwest. As the helicopter approached the perimeter fence of the airport it was observed to be descending. The accident site was located about .5 nm from the last observed position. The first identified point of impact appeared to be where the left skid tube hit the ground. The ground scar was not in line with the direction of the debris energy path, but was about 270 degrees to the right. The on-scene examination of the accident site indicated that the helicopter first impacted the ground with its left skid, in a more vertical than horizontal vector. The main rotor blades displayed low rotor damage signatures. At the time of the accident the density altitude was computed to be 9,330 feet mean sea level (msl), and the pressure altitude was computed to be 5,827 feet msl. A conservative weight of the helicopter was calculated to be approximately 2,823 pounds. The helicopter’s certified gross weight is 3,000 pounds. The calculated hover performance in ground effect (HIGE) was determined to be at least 63 pounds over the performance capabilities of the helicopter. The calculated hover performance out of ground effect (HOGE) was determined to be at least 223 pounds over the performance capabilities of the helicopter. Witnesses reported the winds at the time of the accident as 10 knots out of the south. Post accident examination of the airframe and engine components found no anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate preflight performance planning for the takeoff and the loading that exceeded the lift performance capability of the helicopter.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/19/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1540 |
| Event Time Zone | Mountain Daylight Time |
| Event City | Price |
| Event State | UTAH |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 84501 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 393658N |
| Event Location Longitude | 1104546W |
| Event Location Airport | Carbon County Regional |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | KPUC |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 5957 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1553 Mountain Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 116 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | PUC |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 5957 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | MDT |
| 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) | 34 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 1 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Variable |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.05 |
| 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 | 3 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 26259 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 19 2008 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 26 2009 1:04PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Salt Lake City, UT |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N400BE |
| NTSB Number | LAX08FA233 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | Ground |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | HUGHES |
| Aircraft Model | 369D |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 470115D |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3000 |
| 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 | 5 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jul 1 2007 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | 4148 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | Unknown |
| Aircraft Owner Name | BBP Air LLC |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Orem |
| Aircraft Owner State | UT |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 84059 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | BBP Air LLC |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Orem |
| Operator State | UT |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 84059 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | KPUC |
| Departure City | Price |
| Departure State | UT |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1540 |
| Departure Time Zone | MDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | U77 |
| Destination City | Spanish Fork |
| Destination State | UT |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Takeoff |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 26 2009 1:04PM |
| User who most recently changed record | coos |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | N/A |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |