Bell B-206B accident near Bettles, Alaska, August 30, 1983
On August 30, 1983 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Bell B-206B (helicopter), registered N87TA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bettles, Alaska. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 1983 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bettles, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell B-206B
- Registration
- N87TA · no longer on the register · serial 1996
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER MADE A AUTOROTATIVE FORCED LANDING AFTER A LOSS OF POWER DURING CRUISE. THE LANDING WAS MADE ON A ROAD AND THE MAIN ROTOR SEVERED THE TAILBOOM. DURING THE POST-ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION A LEAK WAS FOUND IN THE AUTO VALVE(PART NUMBER 206061634-3) OF THE FUEL PUMP. ALSO SOME BRASS AND LEAD WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL AND THE FUEL PUMP IS THE ONLY ELEMENT IN THE FUEL SYSTEM TO USE BRASS BUSHINGS WHICH ARE ALSO IMPREGNATED WITH LEAD TO AID IN LUBRICATION. THE FUEL PUMPS COMPONENTS (BUSHINGS) WERE ROUND OUT OF TOLERANCE WHEN MEASURED. A REENACTMENT FLAMEOUT WAS ACCOMPLISHED WHEN THE FUEL PUMPS WERE'FAILED'BY PULLING THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS AND, AS IN THE ACTUAL ACCIDENT FLAMEOUT, THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS ON THE COCKPIT INSTRUMENTS.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,663 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 67 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison C-20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SCC Deadhorse AK
- Destination: BTT Bettles AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.