Bell 206L-1 accident near Whittier, Alaska, June 14, 1984
On June 14, 1984 at about 10:10 pm local time, a Bell 206L-1 (helicopter), registered N5751Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Whittier, 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
- June 14, 1984 · about 10:10 pm local time
- Place
- Whittier, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-1 · all 206L-1s on the register
- Registration
- N5751Q · no longer on the register · serial 045524
- 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 EXPERIENCED AN ENG POWER LOSS DURING TAKEOFF AND DESCENDED INTO MARSHY TERRAIN. THE PIC STATED THAT HE WAS DEPARTING FROM A CONFINED AREA & AT 90% TORQUE THE ACFT ROSE TO 50 FT AGL. HE THEN ROSE TO 200 FT AGL BUT COULD NOT RECALL POWER SETTINGS. UPON REACHING 200 FT AGL HE NOSED THE ACFT OVER TO ACCELERATE AND BANKED LT USING APPROX 20 DEG BANK. HE FELT THE ACFT SHUDDER AND IT BEGAN TO SETTLE; HE ADDED POWER AND THE LOW RPM AUDIO & LIGHT CAME ON. DURING THE DESCENT HE NOTICED N2 RPM DECREASING & IT PASSED THRU 90%; HE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE & IT STABILIZED AT 80%. HE SAID HE ATTEMPTED TO REGAIN RPM BY 'PUMPING' THE COLLECTIVE, BUT TO NO AVAIL & THE ACFT CRASHED. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE AND SUBSEQUENT TESTING DID NOT REVEAL ANY MECHANICAL REASON FOR THE POWER LOSS.
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: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,180 hours in all; 310 in this make and model; 86 in the last 90 days; 2,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,551 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, May 3, 1984; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,250 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison A250-C28B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 48°F (9°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.