Bell 206L-1 accident near Salt Lake City, Utah, April 11, 1983
On April 11, 1983 at about 12:45 pm local time, a Bell 206L-1 (helicopter), registered N1759D, was destroyed in an accident near Salt Lake City, Utah. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 11, 1983 · about 12:45 pm local time
- Place
- Salt Lake City, Utah
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-1 · all 206L-1s on the register
- Registration
- N1759D · registry record · serial 45559
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN DURING A TURN AFTER DEPARTING FROM A HOSPITAL HELIPAD WHILE ON AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL FLT TO PICK UP A MEDICAL TEAM TO CARE FOR A CRITICALLY ILL CHILD. THE PLT WAS NOTIFIED AT 0510 BY HIS DISPATCHER. AFTER CHECKING WX, THE PLT CALLED BACK & SAID IF THEY WANT TO TRY IT THERE WOULD BE NO GUARANTEE. THE DISPATCHER RELAYED THAT THEY (MEDICAL CENTER) INDICATED A GREAT NEED TO GO. PRIOR TO DEPARTING THE PLT WAS HEARD TO SAY 'I FEEL REALLY UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT THIS FLIGHT.' THE WITNESS STATED THE PLT HAD BEEN ROTATING (ROTORS) OUTSIDE A LONG TIME & WOULD LIFT OFF THE PAD & THEN SET IT BACK DOWN. FROM 0700 ON 5/7 TO 0545 ON 5/11, THE PLT WAS EITHER ON DUTY WITHTHE NAT'L GUARD, HOSPITAL, FLYING, OR GOING TO SCHOOL FOR A TOTAL OF ABOUT 74 HRS DURING A PERIOD OF ABOUT 95 HRS. HIS AVERAGE REST DURING THIS PERIOD WOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT 5 HRS. THE ALTIMETER SETTING GIVEN TO THE PLT BY APPROACH CONTROL WAS 29.69. THE PLT'S ALT WAS FOUND SET AT 29.80, WHICH WOULD CAUSE THE ACFT TO BE 100 FT LOWER THAN INDICATED.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,753 hours in all; 89 in this make and model; 61 in the last 90 days; 1,350 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,150 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, March 16, 1983; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C28B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Key Airlines, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 320° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,100 ft
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 am from SLC, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.