Aerospatiale SE316B N98325

Summary

On 5 October 1984 at about 15:55 local time, a Aerospatiale SE316B registered N98325, operated by Pegasus Helicopter, was involved in an accident near East Glacier, Montana, United States. 5 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

5 October 1984 at 15:55

Classification

Accident

Location

East Glacier, Montana, United States

Coordinates

48.4096, -113.3091

Aircraft

Aerospatiale SE316B

Registration

N98325

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Pegasus Helicopter

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN85LA004

1 person had minor injuries.

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 ACFT CRASHED AT A REMOTE LANDING SITE WHILE ON A SEISMIC OPERATION. THE PLT STATED THAT HE DEPARTED A RIDGE- TOP WITH INTENTIONS OF DROPPING OFF 2 TO 4 PASSG AT ANOTHER RIDGETOP LOCATED ONE-HALF MI SOUTH. THE INTENDED LDG POINT WAS A NARROW RIDGETOP AT 6000 FT MSL, SURROUNDED BY RUGGED TERRAIN & NUMEROUS HIGH PEAKS TO 8000 MSL. HE STATED THAT THE APPROACH WAS MADE TO THE SOUTHWEST WITH THE WIND AT THE 11 O'CLOCK POSITION. HE FURTHER STATED THAT 'AT APPROX 20 FT ABV TOUCHDOWN I ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT/WIND SHIFT WHICH INDUCED A HIGH VERTICAL RATE OF DESCENT. I DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO ABORT THE APPROACH. THE ACFT LANDED HARD ON THE NOSEWHEEL, STABILIZED AT A HOVER FOR ABOUT TWO SECONDS, THEN ROLLED ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE. I SUSPECT THAT THE DAMAGED NOSE GEAR STRUT INTERFERED WITH THE FLT CONTROLS AFTER INITIAL IMPACT.' THE PLT STATED THE ACFT OPERATED IN A NORMAL MECHANICAL MANNER PRIOR TO THE ACTUAL ACCIDENT SEQUENCE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.