CHOTEAU, MT, USA
N4999N
BELL 206L-1
THE EMS HELICOPTER WAS RETURNING TO GREAT FALLS, MT, ON 6/5/87 WHEN IT CRASHED. ITS OCCUPANTS HAD EARLIER PARTICIPATED IN A RESCUE SEMINAR AT MANY GLACIER, MT. THE WRECKAGE WAS NOT FOUND UNTIL 6/9/87. A VIDEO TAPE RECOVERED FROM THE WRECKAGE DISCLOSED THE HELICOPTER TO BE FOLLOWING A HERD OF BIG HORN SHEEP UP A 7000-FT MOUNTAIN SLOPE AND FLYING SLOWLY AT TREE-TOP LEVEL WHEN IT SUDDENLY YAWED TO THE RIGHT. TESTS MADE ON THE AUDIO PORTION OF THE VIDEO TAPE REVEALED MAIN/TAIL ROTOR RPM WAS AT 100% POWER UNTIL 3.5 SEC BEFORE END OF TAPE. AT THAT TIME MAIN/TAIL ROTOR RPM DROPPED TO 94%. EVIDENCE ALSO DISCLOSED HELICOPTER TO BE FLYING AT HIGH GROSS WEIGHT, HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, AND WITH A TAILWIND.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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