Aerospatiale SA315B (LAMA) and Aerospatiale SA-316 ALOUETTE mid-air collision near Oak City, Utah, November 11, 1984
On November 11, 1984 at about 3:45 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Aerospatiale SA315B (LAMA) (N5785V) and Aerospatiale SA-316 ALOUETTE (N9362), were involved in a mid-air collision near Oak City, Utah. 1 person had minor injuries; 4 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 incident. 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
- November 11, 1984 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Oak City, Utah · map
- Type
- Incident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 4 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Aerospatiale SA315B (LAMA) SA315B (LA · all SA315B (LAMA)s on the register
- Registration
- N5785V · no longer on the register · serial 3617
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
- Aircraft 2
- Aerospatiale SA-316 ALOUETTE SA-316 ALO
- Registration
- N9362 · no longer on the register · serial 1739
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative for the Aerospatiale SA315B (LAMA) final · quoted from the NTSB record
BOTH ACFT PERFORMING EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATIONS. N5785V WAS IN LEVEL FLT TO THE NORTH. N9362 WAS IN A 60-70 KT SLIGHT CLIMB TO THE SOUTHEAST. NEITHER PLT, BOTH IN RT SEATS, SAW THE OTHER ACFT BEFORE CONTACT. 3 MAIN ROTOR BLADES OF N5785V PASSED THROUGH UPPER LEFT SECTION OF COCKPIT ON N9362. INCIDENT OCCURRED WITH ACFT CONVERGING AT A 45 DEG ANGLE. SUN WAS RISING IN EAST, TERRAIN WAS SNOW COVERED AND BOTH ACFT WERE PAINTED WHITE. EACH PLT BROADCASTED HIS POSITION & DESTINATION BEFORE LIFTING OFF, BUT NEITHER RECEIVED A RESPONSE. NEITHER MADE ANY FURTHER TRANSMISSIONS AFTER TAKEOFF.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Aerospatiale SA-316 ALOUETTE final · quoted from the NTSB record
BOTH ACFT WERE PERFORMING EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATIONS. N5785V WAS IN LEVEL FLT TO THE NORTH. N9362 WAS IN A 60-70 KT SLIGHT CLIMB TO THE SOUTHEAST. NEITHER PLT, BOTH IN RT SEATS, SAW THE OTHER ACFT BEFORE CONTACT. THREE MAIN ROTOR BLADES OF N5785V PASSED THROUGH THE UPPER LEFT SECTION OF THE COCKPIT OF N9362. THE INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE THE ACFT WERE CONVERGING AT A 45 DEG ANGLE. THE SUN WAS RISING IN THE EAST, THE TERRAIN WAS SNOW COVERED & BOTH ACFT WERE PAINTED WHITE. EACH PLT BROADCASTED HIS POSITION & DESTINATION BEFORE LIFTING OFF, BUT NEITHER RECEIVED ANY RESPONSE. NEITHER MADE ANY FURTHER TRANSMISSIONS AFTER TAKING OFF.
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 for the Aerospatiale SA315B (LAMA) from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,100 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 500 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,161 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 31, 1984; 505 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARTOUSTE IIIB (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Oak City UT at 3:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
The factual record for the Aerospatiale SA-316 ALOUETTE from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,098 hours in all; 1,428 in this make and model; 241 in the last 90 days; 7,898 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,398 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, November 7, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 4,960 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARTOUSTE IIIB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Oak City UT at 1:45 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N5785V the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.