Bell 206-B accident near Kodiak, Alaska, October 30, 1983
On October 30, 1983 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Bell 206-B (helicopter), registered N90188, was destroyed in an accident near Kodiak, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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
- October 30, 1983 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Kodiak, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206-B · all 206-Bs on the register
- Registration
- N90188 · no longer on the register · serial 1676
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE INSPECTING A TRANSMISSION WIRE TOWER, THE LEFT SKID BECAME ENTANGLED WITH THE POWER LINE GUIDE. THIS PULLED THE HELICOPTER OUT OF CG. WHILE THE PLT WAS TRYING TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, THE M/R BLADE CONTACTED THE TOWER & STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM SEPARATING THE T/R. THE PLT STATED THAT THE OPERATION HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY PERFORMED WITHOUT INCIDENT, & THAT THE CREWMEMBER WHO WAS INSPECTING THE POWER LINE GUIDE FAILED TO CHECK THE ACFT CLEARANCE PRIOR TO SIGNALING THE PLT TO CLEAR TO TOWER.
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: 4,430 hours in all; 2,700 in this make and model; 461 in the last 90 days; 200 in the last 30 days; 4,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,725 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 16, 1983; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Kodiak AK
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:00 pm from ADQ, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.