Bell B-47G2A accident near Dutch Harbor, Alaska, June 24, 1990
On June 24, 1990 at about 7:30 am local time, a Bell B-47G2A (helicopter), registered N8495E, was destroyed in an accident near Dutch Harbor, Alaska. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT IN COMMANDS CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO IMC CONDITIONS AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE WHILE MANUEVERING TO AVOID TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 1990 · about 7:30 am local time
- Place
- Dutch Harbor, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bell B-47G2A
- Registration
- N8495E · no longer on the register · serial L-2596-31
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING WHICH RECOMMENDED AGAINST VFR FLIGHT. HE DEPARTED FOR HIS DESTINATION AND ACTIVATED HIS FLIGHT PLAN. THE FLIGHT SERVICE STATION WITH WHICH HE ACTIVATED HIS FLIGHT PLAN CLOSED PRIOR TO N8495E REACHING ITS DESTINATION, BUT THE FLIGHT INFORMATION WAS PASSED ON TO KING SALMON FLIGHT SERVICE STATION. THE AIR TRAFFIC SPECIALIST AT KING SALMON FAILED TO 'SUSPENSE' THE FLIGHT INFORMATION ON N8495E. THIS RESULTED IN THE LACK OF ANY OVERDUE AIRCRAFT REPORT OR SEARCH AND RESCUE. MEANWHILE, N8495E WAS OPERATING IN THE VICINITY OF THE DUTCH HARBOR AIRPORT WHILE IN HEAVY FOG. THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND SAW A CLIFF APPEAR IN FRONT OF THE HELICOPTER AND HE VEERED AWAY AND ANOTHER CLIFF APPEAR AND AS HE VEERED AWAY AGAIN THE HELICOPTER STRUCK THE WATER AND SANK.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,961 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 20, 1990; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-435A1E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 26AK Cold Bay AK at 1:00 am
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:47 pm from DUT, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N8495E 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.