Tooele Valley Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tooele, Utah 84074
Tuesady, March 1, 2011 8:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While accompanying a pilot who was developing further proficiency in helicopter long-line external load operations, the accident pilot, who had a total time of 1.5 hours in the make and model helicopter that was being flown, was offered the opportunity to fly an external load circuit. During the circuit, which was the pilot's first long-line experience in that make and model helicopter, the helicopter suddenly began to yaw to the right as it approached the point where the load was going to be placed on the ground. The pilot at the controls was unable to arrest the yaw, and during his attempt to regain control of the helicopter, it descended into the terrain. A postaccident examination of the helicopter found no evidence of any anomaly or malfunction that would have contributed to a loss of control of the helicopter.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot did not maintain yaw control of the helicopter during a maneuvering hover. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of experience in the make and model helicopter.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/1/2011
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 830
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Tooele
Event State UTAH
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 84074
Event Date Year 2011
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 403645N
Event Location Longitude 1122103W
Event Location Airport Tooele Valley
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KTVY
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 4321
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 20000
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) -3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 170
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.2
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 29728
NTSB Notification Source FAA Operations Center
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record Apr 18 2012 11:27AM
User who most recently changed record johb
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N206BY
NTSB Number WPR11LA151
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Company VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELL
Aircraft Model 206B-III
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 2871
Certified Max Gross Weight 3350
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 1
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Feb 17 2011 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 11939
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type C126
Aircraft Owner Name N206BY LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City SALT LAKE CITY
Aircraft Owner State UT
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 84116-6423
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Upper Limit Aviation
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Salt Lake City
Operator State UT
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 84116
Operator Code --
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation External Load
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) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code KSLC
Departure City Salt Lake City
Departure State VI
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 733
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code KTVY
Destination City Tooele
Destination State UT
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Mar 22 2012 12:42PM
User who most recently changed record stam
Since inspection or accident Time of Accident
Event Location Runway Number and Location N/A
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --