Bell 206B III N206JH

Summary

On 27 December 1983 at about 16:00 local time, a Bell 206B III registered N206JH, operated by Idaho Helicopters, was involved in an accident near Mountain City, Nevada, United States. 3 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured, one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

27 December 1983 at 16:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Mountain City, Nevada, United States

Coordinates

41.7705, -116.0795

Aircraft

Bell 206B III

Registration

N206JH

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Idaho Helicopters

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Aerial Observation

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Boise → Mountain City

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX84LA117

2 people were seriously injured.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH THE SNOW COVERED GROUND AFTER THE ENG QUIT DURING A POWER-LINE PATROL AT ABOUT 30 FT AGL. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE VISIBILITY WAS 1/2 MILE WITH LIGHT SNOW FALLING. HE ALSO SAID HE COULD SEE 4 TO 7 OF THE SUPPORTING STRUCTURES. THESE POLES ARE SPACED ABOUT 350 FT APART SO SEVEN POLES TOTALS LESS THAN 1/2 MILE. THE BELL 206BFLT MANUAL STATES THAT 'OPERATIONS ARE PERMITTED IN FALLING SNOW WHEN VISIBILITY IS IN EXCESS OF 1/2 MILE, BUT FLT DURATION IS LIMITED TO 1 AND 1/2 HOURS.' INVESTIGATION OF THE ENGINE AFTER THE ACCIDENT REVEALED THAT WHEN THE TOP PLUG OF THE FUEL PUMP FILTER WAS LOOSENED, THE SOUND OF ESCAPING AIR WAS NOTED. INVESTIGATION ALSO REVEALED THAT ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT THE FORWARD FUEL BOOST PUMP HAD BEEN REPLACED WITH A NEW IC-38-L TYPE PUMP WHICH HAD BEEN SIGNED OFF AS HAVING BEEN CHECKED FOR PRESSURE AND BLED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.