Bell 206L-1 accident near Huntington, Utah, January 22, 1984
On January 22, 1984 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Bell 206L-1 (helicopter), registered N500CN, was substantially damaged in an accident near Huntington, Utah. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. 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
- January 22, 1984 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Huntington, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-1 · all 206L-1s on the register
- Registration
- N500CN · no longer on the register · serial 45188
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN A STABILIZED, OUT-OF-GROUND-EFFECT HOVER, AT ABOUT 300 FEET AGL, THE HELICOPTER STARTED AN UNCONTROLLABLE RIGHT TURN. THE PLT STATED THAT USING FULL LEFT PEDDLE HAD NO EFFECT ON STOPPING THE SPIN. AT THE ONSET OF THE SPIN, THE OCCUPANTS OF THE ACFT FELT A HIGH FREQUENCY VIBRATION. THE PLT STATED THAT HE REDUCED THE ROTOR RPM BY ROLLING OFF THE THROTTLE & LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE. THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED INTO TREES IN A RIGHT SPIN. THE PLT STATED THAT HE DID NOT BELIEVE THAT THERE WAS ANYTHING MECHANICALLY WRONG WITH THE ACFT. THE COPLT STATED THAT HE FELT THAT THEY HAD EXPERIENCED A LOSS OF TAILROTOR AUTHORITY. INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE HELICOPTER. REVIEW OF HEIGHT-VELOCITY CHART FOR THE BELL 206L-1 INDICATED THAT A SUCCESSUL AUTO-ROTATION FROM HOVER A 300 FEET AGL IS NOT PROBABLE. THE ELEVATION OF THE CRASH SITE WAS APRX 6800 FT MSL.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,713 hours in all; 47 in this make and model; 94 in the last 90 days; 2,445 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,291 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 23, 1983; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C28B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Huntington UT at 6:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 19°F (-7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 1 | 2 |
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.