Bell 47G-3B-1 accident near Hanksville, Utah, February 28, 1994
On February 28, 1994 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Bell 47G-3B-1 (helicopter), registered N4082J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hanksville, Utah. It was an other work-use flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S DELAY IN RELEASING HIS TOW LINE WHEN THE LINE BECAME ENTANGLED WITH WIRES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 28, 1994 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Hanksville, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 47G-3B-1 · all 47G-3B-1s on the register
- Registration
- N4082J · registry record · serial 6790
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
JUST AFTER A LINEMAN RELEASED THE HELICOPTER TOW LINE FROM A POWER LINE THAT WAS BEING POSITIONED ON A POWER POLE, THE HELICOPTER TOW LINE BLEW BACK INTO THE POWER POLE GUY WIRES. INSTEAD OF RELEASING THE TOW LINE AT THAT TIME, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MANEUVER THE TOW LINE AWAY FROM THE GUY WIRES. DURING THIS PROCESS THE PILOT LOST SIGHT OF THE TOW LINE, AND THE TOW LINE ENGAGED ONE OF THE GUY WIRES. THE HELICOPTER WAS THEN PULLED INTO A STEP BANK BY THE ENGAGED TOW LINE, AND THE PILOT'S RELEASE OF THE TOW LINE CAME TOO LATE FOR HIM TO COMPLETE A RECOVERY PRIOR TO IMPACTING THE TERRAIN.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,885 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 67 in the last 30 days; 6,700 as pilot in command; 1,066 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 2, 1994
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N4082J 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.