Aerospatiale 316B ALOUETTE III accident near Cokeville, Wyoming, September 5, 1984
On September 5, 1984 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Aerospatiale 316B ALOUETTE III (helicopter), registered N8266, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cokeville, Wyoming (Cokeville airport). It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- September 5, 1984 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Cokeville, Wyoming · Cokeville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale 316B ALOUETTE III 316B ALOUE
- Registration
- N8266 · no longer on the register · serial 1772
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT HE LOST TAILROTOR CONTROL WHILE MANEUVERING FOR A LANDING. HE ELECTED TO RETURN TO COKEVILLE AIRPORT AND MAKE THE LANDING. THE PLT EXECUTED AN AITOROTATION TO THE RUNWAY AND DURING THE LANDING FLARE, THE TAIL SKID STRUCK THE RUNWAY, STRAIGHTNING THE ACFT. THE ACFT LANDED HARD AND ROLLED OVER. POST CRASH EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT A SEPERATION HAD OCCURRED IN THE TAILROTOR CONTROL CABLE. THE CABLE WAS EXAMINED AND BORE EVIDENCE OF HAVING BEEN CUT BY A BLUNT INSTRUMENT.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,643 hours in all; 1,959 in this make and model; 265 in the last 90 days; 7,414 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 35,547 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,960 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARTOUSTE IIIB (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 4,900 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.