Bell 212 accident near Nuiqsut, Alaska, November 13, 1983
On November 13, 1983 at about 4:40 am local time, a Bell 212 (helicopter), registered N3910Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nuiqsut, Alaska (Nuiqsut airport). It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- November 13, 1983 · about 4:40 am local time
- Place
- Nuiqsut, Alaska · Nuiqsut · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 212 · all 212s on the register
- Registration
- N3910Y · no longer on the register · serial 31195
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE SEARCH & RESCUE FLT HAD BEEN DISPATCHED FROM BARROW TO AN ACFT ACCIDENT SITE ADJACENT TO THE NUIQSUT ARPT. ACCORDINGTO THE PLT, UPON ARRIVING AT NUIQSUT AT 300 FT AGL THE VISIBILITY WAS 2-3 MI. THEY LINED UP WITH SNOW MACHINES FOR A VISUAL APCH TO THE SITE & THE CO-PLT DISENGAGED THE AUTOPILOT FOR DESCENT. THE PIC CALLED OUT 200, 100 & 50 FT. AT THE 50 FT CALL-OUT THE ACFT IMPACTED TERRAIN & BOTH PLTS PULLED UP ON THE COLLECTIVE. RIGHT AFTER THE PIC SAID 'WE'RE AT 50 FEET' THE ACFT AGAIN STRUCK THE GROUND. THE PIC WAS GIVING ALTITUDE READOUTS FROM THE RADAR ALTIMETER. THE ACFT HAD IMPACTED FIRST ON THE EDGE OF A 50 FT GULLY. THE ACFT HAD APPROACHED OVER THE GULLY. BASED ON OLIKTOK, DEADHORSE & UMIAT WX THE NUIQSUT ARPT WAS ENGULFED IN FOG.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,300 hours in all; 303 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 538 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 20, 1983; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,500 lb
- Seats: 15
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6T-3-B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BRW Barrow AK at 3:05 am
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; scat at 500 ft
- Temperature: -8°F (-22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.