Bell 206BIII accident near Sheep Mountain, Alaska, July 1, 1991
On July 1, 1991 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Bell 206BIII (helicopter), registered N302MH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sheep Mountain, 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 PILOT'S LACK OF COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS AND CONTINUED OPERATION WITH THE WIND IN THE 'CRITICAL WIND AZIMUTH' AREA WHICH LED TO LIMITED TAIL ROTOR AUTHORITY. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE VARIABLE AND GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 1, 1991 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sheep Mountain, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206BIII · all 206BIIIs on the register
- Registration
- N302MH · no longer on the register · serial 2958
- 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 PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND ON THE 6,000 FOOT RIDGE AND MADE A GO AROUND. HE MADE A SECOND ATTEMPT WITH THE WIND AS A RIGHT QUARTERING HEADWIND. THE PILOT STATED THE WIND WAS VARIABLE AND GUSTY. DURING HIS SECOND APPROACH AND APPROXIMATELY 8 TO 10 FEET ABOVE THE LANDING AREA, HE LOST TAIL ROTOR AUTHORITY AND ELECTED TO LAND IMMEDIATELY UPON THE ONLY AVAILABLE LANDING SURFACE. THE TERRAIN SLOPED AWAY AT A CONSIDERABLE ANGLE AND HE WAS AFRAID OF ROLLING THE HELICOPTER. AN OPERATION SAFETY NOTICE ISSUED BY BELL HELICOPTER OUTLINING THE CONDITIONS FOR LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR AUTHORITY WAS AVAILABLE TO THE PILOT IN THE COMPANY READING FILE. THE READING FILE IS REQUIRED TO BE READ AND INITIALED BY ALL COMPANY PILOTS.
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
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,097 hours in all; 5,000 in this make and model; 162 in the last 90 days; 79 in the last 30 days; 8,809 as pilot in command; 198 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,142 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 29, 1991; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°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.