Helio COURIER H-295 accident near Salt Lake City, Utah, August 4, 1983
On August 4, 1983 at about 1:40 am local time, a Helio COURIER H-295, registered N6484V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Salt Lake City, Utah (West Jordan airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- August 4, 1983 · about 1:40 am local time
- Place
- Salt Lake City, Utah · West Jordan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Helio COURIER H-295 COURIER H-
- Registration
- N6484V · no longer on the register · serial 1439
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE STARTING HIS TAKEOFF, THE PLT WAITED FOR OTHER ACFT IN THE PATTERN TO MAKE TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS. IMMEDIATELY BEFORE & DURING HIS ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF, THE PLT SAW 2 NATIONAL GUARD HELICOPTERS HOVERING OVER A SOD AREA, WEST OF RWY 34. REPORTEDLY, THE 1ST PART OF THE TAKEOFF WAS NORMAL. AT APRX 30 TO 40 MPH, THE LEFT WING RAISED & THE ACFT BEGAN TO WEATHERVANE TO THE LEFT. THE PLT SAID THAT HE TURNED THE CONTROL WHEEL TO THE LEFT & APPLIED RIGHT BRAKE BUT THE ACFT GROUND LOOPED & THE RIGHT GEAR COLLAPSED. ACCORDING TO THE HELICOPTER CREWS, THEY WERE WELL AWAY FROM THE RWY. ONE ESTIMATED, THE CLOSEST HELICOPTER WAS ABOUT 365 FT WEST OF THE RWY. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THEWIND VELOCITY HAD INCREASE AT ABOUT THE TIME THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. AN FAA AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTOR REPORTED THAT A DUST DEVIL HIT THE LEFT WING OF THE ACFT DURING THE TAKEOFF. THE PLT BELIEVED THAT THE ROTOR DOWNWASH FROM THE HELICOPTERS HAD BEEN ENCOUNTERED.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 356 hours in all; 73 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 217 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,579 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 15, 1982; 49 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-270 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 5,604 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 360° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,600 ft; not recorded at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.