Bell 206 N3211N

Summary

On 5 February 2014 at about 21:30 local time, a Bell 206 registered N3211N, operated by Upper Limit Aviation, was involved in an accident near Bountiful, Utah, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 February 2014 at 21:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Bountiful, Utah, United States

Coordinates

40.8778, -111.8217

Aircraft

Bell 206

Registration

N3211N

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1984

Engines

1

Operator

Upper Limit Aviation

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Salt Lake City → Salt Lake City

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR14LA113

Nobody was injured.

The pilots' inaccurate assessment of the snow depth on the landing zone, which resulted in a landing on snow deeper than that for which the helicopter was equipped and led to dynamic rollover.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The helicopter-rated private pilot was receiving instruction to obtain his commercial helicopter certificate. He and the flight instructor were practicing landings and takeoffs at a snow-covered remote landing zone (LZ) in mountainous terrain. They completed one successful landing and takeoff, and, after a second uneventful landing, the helicopter sat on the snow for a few minutes before the instructor initiated the next takeoff. Just after engine power application, the right forward skid sank into the snow, and the instructor was unable to prevent the ensuing dynamic rollover. The helicopter came to rest on its right side on top of the snow. The area located just forward and to the right of the helicopter was covered with snow less than 6 inches thick, and grass protruded through the snow, which likely led the pilots to assume that this was a representative depth for the snow on the entire LZ. However, although the snow surface was essentially level, the terrain underlying the snow was not level, and the helicopter had landed on snow that was about 2 ft deep. The instructor was not qualified by the school to conduct operations on deep snow, and the helicopter was not equipped to land on snow deeper than about 6 inches. The pilots did not report any pre-existing mechanical deficiencies or failures, and examination of the helicopter did not reveal evidence of any pre-existing mechanical deficiencies.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.