Bell 206B N1086C

Summary

On 18 July 1989 at about 19:15 local time, a Bell 206B registered N1086C, operated by Rocky Mountain Helicopter, was involved in an accident near Duchesne, Utah, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 July 1989 at 19:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Duchesne, Utah, United States

Coordinates

40.0990, -110.4909

Aircraft

Bell 206B

Registration

N1086C

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Rocky Mountain Helicopter

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Other Work Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Provo → Provo

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN89FA175

3 people died.

THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE POWER LINE. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE: LACK OF MISSION TRAINING PROVIDED BY THE COMPANY/OPERATOR, THE PILOT'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THIS TYPE OF OPERATION, HIS LACK OF FAMILIARITY WITH THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA, AND THE COMPANY/OPERATOR'S INADEQUATE SUBSTANTIATION PROCESS TO ASSURE THE EXPERIENCE LEVEL OF NEWLY HIRED PILOTS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING OPERATED ON A SPECIALIZED POWER LINE PATROL TO CONDUCT 'KORONA MEASURING' FOR A 'LEAKAGE' CHECK OF THE TRANSMISSION LINE. THIS CHECK REQUIRED THAT THE HELICOPTER BE FLOWN AT A CONSTANT ALTITUDE & SPEED, & AT A DISTANCE OF 100' OR LESS FROM THE POWER LINE. WHILE PATROLLING EASTBOUND, THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK THE NORTH STATIC LINE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE MAIN ROTOR, SWASH PLATE, & TRANSMISSION/ROTOR MAST SEPARATED & THE HELICOPTER CRASHED. WHEN THE HELICOPTER DID NOT RETURN FROM THE PATROL, A SEARCH WAS ORGANIZED. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND THE NEXT DAY AT 1045 MDT. THE PLT & 1 PAX WERE DECEASED, BUT THE OTHER PAX APPEARED TO BE ALIVE; HOWEVER, HE DIED BEFORE MEDICAL ASSISTANCE ARRIVED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE HELICOPTER WAS FOUND. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THIS WAS THE PILOT'S 1ST POWER LINE PATROL. ON HIS APPLICATION FOR RECENT EMPLOYMENT WITH THE COMPANY, HE INDICATED HE HAD OVER 1900 HRS OF FLT TIME; HOWEVER, ONLY 585 HRS OF FLT TIME COULD BE VERIFIED. HE DID NOT RCV MISSION TRAINING FOR THIS FLT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.