Aerospatiale SA-315B accident near Montpelier, Idaho, August 7, 1983
On August 7, 1983 at about 4:07 pm local time, a Aerospatiale SA-315B (helicopter), registered N49532, was substantially damaged in an accident near Montpelier, Idaho. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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 7, 1983 · about 4:07 pm local time
- Place
- Montpelier, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale SA-315B · all SA-315Bs on the register
- Registration
- N49532 · no longer on the register · serial 2500
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT & 3 PASSENGERS WERE ON A FLT TO FIND DRILLING SUPPLIES THAT HAD BEEN DROPPED OFF OF A TRUCK ON THE PREVIOUS DAY. THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE WAS HOVERING DOWN AN ABANDONED ROAD AT ABOUT 5 TO 10 MPH & 15 TO 20 FT AGL WHEN THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES. THE POWER LINES WERE UNMARKED & CROSSED THE ROAD AT A 90 DEG ANGLE. THE COLLISION OCCURRED WHERE THE LINES SPANNED 2000 FT BETWEEN SUPPORTS. AFTER HITTING THE POWER LINES, THE HELICOPTER STRUCK THE GROUND & CAME TO REST ON ITS SIDE.
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: gyroplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,001 hours in all; 1,031 in this make and model; 159 in the last 90 days; 3,837 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,500 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 1, 1993; 67 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Artouste IIIB (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Montpelier ID at 3:50 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 N49532 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.