Bell 206B accident near Palmer, Alaska, May 13, 1984
On May 13, 1984 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N90191, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palmer, Alaska. It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- May 13, 1984 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Palmer, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N90191 · no longer on the register · serial 1687
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING USED TO RE-SUPPLY FIRE FIGHTERS BY THE DIVISION OF FORESTRY. EN ROUTE BACK TO THE STAGING AREA THE ACFT STRUCK UNMARKED LINES 85 FT ABOVE THE VALLEY FLOOR. POLES SUPPORTING THE LINES WERE OBSCURED BY VEGETATION AND WERE 224 FT APART. NUMEROUS TRIPS TO AND FROM THE STAGING AREA AT HIGHER ALTITUDES WERE FLOWN ON THE PREVIOUS DAY. THE PILOT NOR CREWS ON THE GROUND WERE AWARE OF THE POWER LINES.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,759 hours in all; 2,885 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,101 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 9, 1983; 82 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Detr. Diesel 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Palmer AK at 3:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 90 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N90191 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.