Bell 206B-III N16803

Summary

On 25 February 1984 at about 17:00 local time, a Bell 206B-III registered N16803, operated by Wiebe Gortmaker, was involved in an accident near Coalville, Utah, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

25 February 1984 at 17:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Coalville, Utah, United States

Coordinates

40.8795, -111.3104

Aircraft

Bell 206B-III

Registration

N16803

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Wiebe Gortmaker

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Wanship → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

DEN84FA102

1 person died.

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 WAS EQUIPPED WITH 'BEAR PAWS'. SNOWSHOE-LIKE DEVICES ON THE SKIDS TO DISTRIBUTE WEIGHT ON SOFT SURFACES. THE BEAR PAWS ON THIS ACFT ROTATED FREELY AROUND THE SKIDS, NOT TIGHTENED DOWN AS PER DESIGN SPEC. ALSO, BEAR PAWS ARE NOT APPROVED FOR AMERICAN ACFT BY THE FAA. THIS HELICOPTER LANDED ON WHAT THE PILOT THOUGHT WAS A FIRM LANDING SURFACE BUT WAS ACTUALLY 5 FT OF SNOW COVERED WITH A THIN CRUST OF ICE. A PASSENGER THAT THE PILOT HAD DEBOARDED EARLIER ABOUT 900 FT DOWN THE MOUNTAIN, STATED THAT HE SAW THE HELICOPTER ROLL OVER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE APRX 5 MINS AFTER HE LEFT THE AIRCRAFT. THIS INDIVIDUAL STATED THAT THE PILOT DID NOT SHUT DOWN THE HELICOPTER AFTER HE WAS LEFT OFF. DURING THE ROLLOVER, ONE BLADE OF THE ROTOR SLICED THROUGH THE COCKPIT IT DEPARTED THE ACFT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.