TUCKER, UT, USA
N3900B
BELL 206L-1
THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING USED ON A SEISMIC DATA ACQUISTION OPERATION. WHILE LANDING BY A ROAD IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT AN ELEVATION OF APRX 8400 FT, THE HELICOPTER WAS OBSERVED TO APPROACH TO A HOVER OVER THE ROADWAY. A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF DUST WAS BLOWN FROM THE ROTOR DOWNWASH CAUSING PERSONNEL ON THE GROUND TO COVER THEIR EYES & LOOK AWAY. THE HELICOPTER WAS NEXT OBSERVED TO PULL UP & AWAY FROM THE GROUND PERSONNEL, THEN MOVE UP THE HILL (BESIDE THE ROAD) & TURN RIGHT TO FACE THE HILLSIDE. GROUND PERSONNEL REPORTED THAT IT THEN MADE AN UNUSUAL NOISE, SPUN AROUND, BEGAN TO WHIP BACK & FORTH, THEN DESCENDED INTO TREES IN AN UNCONTROLLED MANNER. AFTER IMPACT, IT ROLLED DOWN THE HILLSIDE & CAMETO REST AT THE ROAD. THE PLT WAS INJURED & COULD NOT REMEMBER THE OCCURRENCE. GROUND PERSONNEL THOUGHT THE ENG LOST POWER, BUT NO PREIMPACT FAILURE WAS FOUND. SEVERAL CIRCUIT BREAKERS WERE 'OUT' BUT 2 OF THEM (BOOST PUMP) WOULD NORMALLYHAVE BEEN PULLED AFTER LANDING. WIND FROM SOUTH, 10 KTS. WITNESS SAID, GUST BLEW DUST BACK TOWARD ACFT, WHILE HOVERING.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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