Bell 47G-3B-1 accident near Ogden, Utah, January 31, 1984
On January 31, 1984, a Bell 47G-3B-1 (helicopter), registered N90769, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ogden, Utah. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 31, 1984
- Place
- Ogden, Utah
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-3B-1 · all 47G-3B-1s on the register
- Registration
- N90769 · registry record · serial 2901
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT TOOK OFF FROM A MOUNTAINOUS WORK SITE TO RETURN TO SALT LAKE CITY, UT. THE WX WAS CLEAR AT THE WORK SITE (ELEVATION 6700 FT), BUT THERE WAS FOG BELOW. AFTER ENCOUNTERING THE FOG, THE PLT HOVERED WITH A SLOW FORWARD SPEED OVER SNOW COVERED TERRAIN. A PASSENGER SAID THAT WHERE ROCKS PROTRUDED THRU THE SNOW, THEY PROVIDE A REFERENCE, THEN SUDDENLY THERE WERE NO ROCKS. AS THE HELICOPTER PROCEEDED OVER AN OPEN AREA, THE PLT LOST GROUND RECERENCES. HE SAID HE MAY HAVE EXPERIENCED VERTIGO BECAUSE HE THOUGHT HE WAS ABOUT ON THE GROUND WHEN THE HELICOPTER HIT & ROLLED OVER. THE ELEVATION AT THE CRASH SITE WAS ABOUT 5000 FT.
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
What happened, in order
- IN FLIGHT ENCOUNTER WITH WEATHER during cruise
- LOSS OF CONTROL - IN FLIGHT during hover
- ROLL OVER during landing
Pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land, helicopter, helicopter, helicopter
- Flight time: 5,204 hours in all; 1,350 in this make and model; 153 in the last 90 days; 58 in the last 30 days; 4,776 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 2
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,829 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 92 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TVO-435-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: Near Ogden UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 19°C, dew point 19°C
- Altimeter: 30 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DEN84LA079.