Scottsdale Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Camp Verde, Arizona 86322
Saturday, June 30, 2012 12:07 PDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The helicopter was reported missing by family members, and the wreckage was found the next day in a deep river canyon abutted by 200-foot vertical cliffs. Before the accident, a U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) cableway system had spanned the river about 300 feet north of the wreckage and had been elevated about 39 feet above the river’s center. Examination of the cable, its landing platforms, the helicopter, and the wreckage location revealed evidence consistent with the helicopter impacting the cable while traveling in level-forward flight. A photo of the cableway taken by the USGS before the accident showed that the cable suspended over the river was not visible against the terrain background; however, the cableway did not meet the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) aerial marker requirement criteria. The USGS has replaced the cableway with aerial markers. In addition, the accident occurred within a designated Special Conservation Area, which the FAA recommends avoiding, if practical, or if flown through, it recommends that pilots should make every effort to fly not less than 2,000 feet above ground level. The pilot’s postaccident ethanol levels were indicative of the ethanol being produced postmortem; if any of the ethanol was due to ingestion, it was well below the FAA regulatory limit, and it is unlikely to have contributed to the accident. The pilot’s postaccident diphenhydramine level suggests that he had taken it within an hour of taking off. Diphenhydramine causes marked sedation, is a central nervous system depressant, and it has been observed to alter mood and impair cognitive and psychomotor performance. It is likely that diphenhydramine led to cognitive and psychomotor impairment to the pilot and contributed to his decision to fly at an insufficient altitude in a river canyon.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper decision to fly at a low altitude through a river canyon, contrary to voluntary guidance within the Special Conservation Area, which led to collision with a cable. Contributing to the pilot’s decision were his cognitive and psychomotor impairment from his use of an antihistamine medication.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 6/30/2012
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1207
Event Time Zone Pacific Daylight Time
Event City Camp Verde
Event State ARIZONA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 86322
Event Date Year 2012
Event Date Month 6
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 342640N
Event Location Longitude 1114722W
Event Location Airport Scottsdale
Event Location Nearest Airport ID KSDL
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 65
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 1510
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1215 Pacific Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 20
Weather Observation Facility ID KSEZ
Elevation of weather observation facility 4830
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 23
Time Zone of the weather observation PDT
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) 35
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 240
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 8
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.09
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 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 32262
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 Jan 9 2014 12:49PM
User who most recently changed record coos
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N729DP
NTSB Number WPR12FA282
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name AEROSPATIALE
Aircraft Model AS350B
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 2338
Certified Max Gross Weight 4960
Aircraft Category Helicopter
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats 1
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats 4
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 10 2012 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 7359
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name CHOPPER II LLC
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City SCOTTSDALE
Aircraft Owner State AZ
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 85260-2498
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name CHOPPER II LLC
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address --
Operator City SCOTTSDALE
Operator State AZ
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 85260-2498
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 No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code KSDL
Departure City Scottsdale
Departure State AZ
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 825
Departure Time Zone PDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code KSDL
Destination City Scottsdale
Destination State AZ
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight --
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 9 2014 12:51PM
User who most recently changed record coos
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 --