Helio H-250 accident near Near Iliamna, Alaska, September 21, 1989
On September 21, 1989 at about 4:50 am local time, a Helio H-250, registered N5450E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Near Iliamna, Alaska. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION BY THE PILOT AND HIS CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC). FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS AND ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 21, 1989 · about 4:50 am local time
- Place
- Near Iliamna, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Helio H-250 · all H-250s on the register
- Registration
- N5450E · registry record · serial 2507
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT DID NOT RECEIVE A WX BRIEFING FOR THE RETURN FLT, BECAUSE HE HAD JUST FLOWN OVER THE AREA. DURING THE RETURN FLT, HE ENCOUNTERED OBSCURED CEILINGS, REDUCED VISIBILITIES, HEAVY RAIN, FREEZING RAIN, & SEVERE TURBULENCE. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE ACFT SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED IN A SWAMP & CREEK AT NIGHT. HE STATED HE HAD SLOWED THE ACFT TO 25 TO 30 KTS, WHEN THE ACFT MADE CONTACT WITH THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE SLID APRX 40 FT TO A STOP. THE FLT VISIBILITY WAS RPRTD TO BE ZERO, WHEN THE ACFT CONTACTED THE GROUND.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 262 hours in all; 220 in this make and model; 83 in the last 90 days; 63 in the last 30 days; 207 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,556 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 2, 1989; 79 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-250 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Taylor Mtn AK at 9:30 pm
- Destination: ILI Iliamna AK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 340° at 35 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N5450E the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC89LA171.