ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 42688
Last updated: 5 October 2020
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| Date: | 03-JAN-1993 |
| Time: | 15:40 |
| Type: |  Bell 206B-3 JetRanger III |
| Owner/operator: | South Coast Helicopters |
| Registration: | N1078V |
| C/n / msn: | 2923 |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 4 |
| Other fatalities: | 0 |
| Aircraft damage: | Written off (damaged beyond repair) |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | James Peak, Powder Mountains, 15 miles SW of Ogden, Utah -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Passenger |
| Departure airport: | Ogden, Utah |
| Investigating agency: | NTSB |
The helicopter was destroyed when it apparently flew into a mountain side at James Peak, Powder Mountains, 15 miles SW of Ogden, Utah, while attempting to land on a ridge line. The pilot was transporting personnel within a remote mountain valley in support of the commercial filming of celebrity skiers. The skiers had been filmed as they skied down a ridge and were being flown back to the top of the ridge line.
During the third go-around following three attempts to land at the ridge top landing site, the helicopter disappeared into a cloud bank and impacted the ridge at the 8,500 feet level. Members of the party on the ground described the area as being 'totally socked in.' The basic weather shown in the environment/operations information section was the 14:45 observation at Ogden. Ogden is 15 miles southwest of the accident site, at an elevation of 4,470 ft. The accident happened at 15:40 hours Local time.
The NTSB determined the probable cause to be: The pilot's continuation of VFR flight into IMC and his decision to continue his landing attempts under the adverse weather conditions. Factors contributing to the accident were the low clouds, fog and mountainous terrain.
Sources:
1. NTSB Identification: SEA93FA048 at http://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20001211X11752&key=1&queryId=4929a826-7766-4d2b-9ebb-a6bc5da36a50&pgno=4&pgsize=50
2. FAA: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?omni=Home-N-Number&nNumberTxt=1078V
3. https://www.findagrave.com/page=gr&GRid=91172941
4. http://www.planecrashinfo.com/1993/1993-1.htm
5. http://www.griffin-helicopters.co.uk/accidentdetails.aspx?accidentkey=9439
6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Powder_Mountain
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 27-Aug-2016 21:27 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Location, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Narrative] |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:24 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
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