Bell 407 N142MA

Summary

On 11 September 2014 at about 17:09 local time, a Bell 407 registered N142MA, operated by Minuteman Aviation Inc, was involved in an accident near Moab, Utah, United States. One person was on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

11 September 2014 at 17:09

Classification

Accident

Location

Moab, Utah, United States

Coordinates

38.4597, -109.6353

Aircraft

Bell 407

Registration

N142MA

Category

Helicopter

Year built

1996

Engines

1

Operator

Minuteman Aviation Inc

Operating rule

Part 133: Rotorcraft Ext. Load

Purpose of flight

External Load

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Moab → Moab

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR14CA373

1 person had minor injuries.

The pilot's failure to ensure adequate clearance from terrain while landing on sloped terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The helicopter had been dispatched to pickup and transport two ground crew members to a new location. The pilot positioned the helicopter with the front skids into up sloping terrain when the main rotor blades impacted a large boulder. The helicopter pitched back, rolled onto its right side, and slid down the hill before it came to a rest. During the accident sequence, the helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.