N2752Y, A BELL 206B HELICOPTER, CRASHED IN HILLY TERRAIN WHILE ON A FLT TO OBTAIN VIDEO TAPE NEWS OF AN AIRCRAFT ACCIDENT. PLT WAS WARNED BY FBO PERSONNEL OF ADVERSE WX CONDITIONS. ANOTHER PLT WHO HAD JUST LANDED TRIED TO PERSUADE THE PLT NOT TO FLY. AFTER DEPARTING WITH A SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE, RADAR ADVISORIES WERE PROVIDED UNTIL TERRAIN PRECLUDEDRADAR TRACKING. WITNESSES ALONG A HIGHWAY OBSERVED THE ACFT WITH THE LANDING LIGHT ON IN SNOW & FOG. ONE WITNESS FOLLOWED THE ACFT APRX 20 MIN & ESTIMATED ITS ALTITUDE WAS 50 TO 100 FT AGL & THE SPEED WAS 40 MPH. SOME MOTORISTS REPORTED ICE ON THEIR WINDSHIELDS. THE ACFT WAS FOUND THE NEXT MORNING NEAR THE TOP & ON THE FAR SIDE OF A KNOLL THAT ITHAD CROSSED. IT HAD CRASHED IN A STEEP RIGHT BANK. THE ALCOHOL LEVEL OF A SAMPLE OF THE PLT'S BLOOD WAS 0.093%. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES WERE FOUND. WX DATA ABOVE WAS THE 2145 MST OBSERVATION AT ARAPAHOE COUNTY ARPT LOCATED 33 MI NORTH OF THE ACCIDENT SITE.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:

Contributing Factors

PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION..INADEQUATE..PILOT IN COMMAND

Contributing Factors

LIGHT CONDITION..DARK NIGHT

Contributing Factors

WEATHER CONDITION..LOW CEILING

Contributing Factors

WEATHER CONDITION..SNOW

Contributing Factors

WEATHER CONDITION..FOG

Contributing Factors

SELF-INDUCED PRESSURE..PILOT IN COMMAND

Contributing Factors

OVERCONFIDENCE IN PERSONAL ABILITY..PILOT IN COMMAND

Contributing Factors

LACK OF TOTAL INSTRUMENT TIME..PILOT IN COMMAND

Contributing Factors

TERRAIN CONDITION..MOUNTAINOUS/HILLY

Contributing Factors

TERRAIN CONDITION..SNOW COVERED

Index for Dec1982 | Index of months