Bell 206L-1 accident near Richfield, Utah, April 23, 1995
On April 23, 1995 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Bell 206L-1 (helicopter), registered N206AH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Richfield, Utah. It was a business 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
ICE INGESTION. FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: AIRCRAFT PROTECTIVE COVERINGS WERE UNAVAILABLE, INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION, AND UNEVEN TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 23, 1995 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Richfield, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-1 · all 206L-1s on the register
- Registration
- N206AH · no longer on the register · serial 45562
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER HAD BEEN STRANDED ON TOP OF A HILL FOR SEVERAL DAYS DUE TO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND SNOW FALL. BEFORE LEAVING THE HELICOPTER ON THE HILL, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE USED JACKETS AND CUSHIONS TO ATTEMPT TO COVER THE ENGINE INLETS, AS PROTECTIVE COVERINGS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. WHEN THE HELICOPTER WAS RETRIEVED, SNOW HAD ACCUMULATED IN THE INLETS. AFTER THE AIRFRAME AND ENGINE INLETS HAD BEEN CLEANED OF THE SNOW AND ICE BUILD UP, THE ENGINE WAS STARTED AND WARMED BEFORE TAKEOFF. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE PILOT INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION TO SLIGHTLY SLOPING TERRAIN. THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD. DURING ENGINE INSPECTION, IT WAS FOUND THAT AT LEAST SIX COMPRESSOR BLADES WERE BENT. NO INSPECTION WINDOWS WERE INSTALLED IN THE COWLING, WHICH WOULD HAVE ALLOWED THE PILOT TO VIEW THE PLENUM CHAMBER FOR ICE OR SNOW. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.
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: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,100 hours in all; 3,400 in this make and model; 189 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 6,500 as pilot in command; 50 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,573 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 30, 1995; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C30P (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: RIF UT
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.