Bell 206B accident near Wellington, Utah, February 12, 1992
On February 12, 1992 at about 1:35 am local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N5003U, was destroyed in an accident near Wellington, Utah. It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND AN EXCESSIVE RATE OF DESCENT. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE FOG, RAIN, LOW CEILINGS, NIGHT CONDITIONS, SNOW COVERED TERRAIN AND PILOT DISORIENTATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 12, 1992 · about 1:35 am local time
- Place
- Wellington, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N5003U · registry record · serial 2444
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NON INSTRUMENT RATED, 371 HOUR PILOT DEPARTED EAGLE, COLORADO, IN HIS BELL 206B HELICOPTER AFTER RECEIVING A VFR NOT RECOMMENDED UPDATE TO HIS WEATHER BRIEFING. WITNESSES ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLIGHT AND AT THE ACCIDENT SITE REPORTED FOG AND POOR VISIBILITY, PRECIPITATION, LOW CEILINGS, NIGHT CONDITIONS AND SNOW COVERED GROUND. THE PILOT INITIALLY REQUESTED THAT HIS WIFE MEET THE HELICOPTER AT A LOCATION SHORT OF THE DESTINATION BUT SUBSEQUENTLY DEPARTED THE ROADSIDE LANDING SITE AFTER RELAYING INSTRUCTIONS THROUGH HIS PASSENGER FOR HER TO POSITION HER VEHICLE BENEATH POWER LINES CROSSING THE HIGHWAY WHICH CONTINUED TO THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. ON SITE EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE SKIDS HAD SUSTAINED EXTENSIVE SHATTERING DAMAGE AND WERE CONFINED TO A SMALL LOCAL AREA ASSOCIATED WITH THE INITIAL GROUND IMPACT. THE TERRAIN AT THE GROUND IMPACT SITE WAS UNEVEN.
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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 371 hours in all; 281 in this make and model; 77 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 253 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,577 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 11, 1992; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Summit Helicopter Systems INC.
The flight
- Departed from: EGE Eagle CO at 10:18 pm
- Destination: PUC Price UT
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 am from PUC, 7 miles away
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.