Hughes OH-6A accident near Duchesne, UT
On July 31, 1994, a Hughes OH-6A (helicopter) was involved in an accident near Duchesne, UT. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- July 31, 1994
- Place
- Duchesne, UT
- Aircraft
- Hughes OH-6A · Helicopter
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 40.490°N, 111.840°W
- NTSB ID
- 20001206X01866
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 30, 1994, approximately 1850 hours mountain daylight time (MDT), a Hughes OH-6A helicopter, N12UT, registered to and operated by the Utah Department of Public Safety, and being flown by Doyle R. Thorne, a commercial pilot, was destroyed during a descent into a heavily wooded ridge line, approximately 26 nautical miles west of Duchesne, Utah. The pilot was fatally injured. The precise meteorological conditions in the vicinity of the accident site were unknown, and the helicopter was operating under flight following procedures with the Utah Highway Patrol at the time of the accident. The flight, which was returning from a cancelled search mission, was public use and was to have been operated in accordance with Utah State procedures. The flight originated from the Salt Lake City International Airport approximately 1725 hours. According to recorded radio communications between N12UT and the Highway Patrol Dispatch facility (call sign "Control"), the search mission which the aircraft had been launched on was cancelled at 1843:10 (dispatch clock time) and the pilot acknowledged the cancellation. At 1843:18 (dispatch clock time), the pilot was advised by Control of "thunderstorms south of the Salt Lake valley and they are eastbound" and the pilot responded "I'm looking at thunderstorms all around I'll keep up my [unintelligible]." Salt Lake Air Route Traffic Control Center (SLC ARTCC) radar showed the aircraft proceeding generally west-northwest at this time. Approximately 1843 (SLC ARTCC clock time), the aircraft turned to a westerly heading and proceede
Probable cause
THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION AND FAILURE TO MAINTAIN SUFFICIENT ALTITUDE/CLEARANCE FROM THE SURROUNDING TERRAIN. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AREA (REQUIRING THE PILOT TO DEVIATE FROM THE DESIRED COURSE), HIGH MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, AND HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE,
More accidents in UT
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Browse: Utah · Hughes aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
