Helio COURIER H-295 accident near 40 SE Bettles, Alaska, August 4, 1990
On August 4, 1990 at about 11:05 pm local time, a Helio COURIER H-295, registered N6493V, was destroyed in an accident near 40 SE Bettles, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE AND SEPARATION OF THE #5 CONNECTING ROD BOLT AND CAP WHICH RESULTED IN THE RUPTURE OF THE ENGINE HOUSING AND SUBSEQUENT ENGINE FIRE DUE TO OIL SPILLAGE, AND AN INADEQUATELY MOUNTED VERTICAL FIN/STABILATOR. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER A PREVIOUS ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 1990 · about 11:05 pm local time
- Place
- 40 SE Bettles, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Helio COURIER H-295 COURIER H-
- Registration
- N6493V · no longer on the register · serial 1458
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD INDICATED TO BETTLES FSS THAT HE HAD LOST POWER AND THAT HE HAD A FIRE ON BOARD. THE WRECKAGE WAS SUBSEQUENTLY LOCATED 40 MILES SE OF BETTLES. ON-SITE EXAMINATION SHOWES THAT THE RIGHT WING, BOTH AILERONS, LEFT FLAP, RUDDER, VERTICAL FIN AND STABILATOR HAD ALL SEPARATED FROM THE AIRPLANE IN FLIGHT. TWO OF THE THREE VERTICAL FIN/STABILATOR-TO-FUSELAGE MOUNTS HAD FAILED IN OVERLOAD; THE THIRD MOUNT WAS RELATIVELY UNDAMAGED WITH THE BOLT MISSING AND VISIBLE ELONGATION OF THE BOLT HOLE. ENGINE EXAM REVEALED EXTENSIVE FIRE DAMAGE TO THE #5 CYLINDER, THE HEAD AREA HAVING BEEN COMPLETELY CONSUMED BY FIRE. THE ROD CAP AND ONE BOLT COULD NOT BE FOUND AT THE WRECKAGE SITE. FOUR MONTHS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT MAJOR REPAIRS WERE MADE TO THE AIRFRAME, THE ENGINE NOSE CASE WAS REMOVED AND OVERHAULED, AND THE PROPELLER WAS OVERHAULED. AIRCRAFT AND PILOT INVOLVED IN LANDING ACCIDENT ON 6/29/88 SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGING THE AIRCRAFT. LYCOMING SB RECOMMENDS ENGINE TEARDOWN AFTER SUDDEN STOPPAGE; NO RECORD OF COMPLIANCE.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,765 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,986 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1990
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming GO-480-G1D6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Z84 Clear AK
- Destination: Happy Valley AK
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 41°F (5°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.
Other NTSB records under N6493V 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.