Bell 206B accident near Glennallen, Alaska, September 10, 1995
On September 10, 1995 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N84TA, was destroyed in an accident near Glennallen, Alaska. It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper in-flight planing/decision and inadequate supervision of the passenger, which allowed the helicopter's lateral center-of-gravity to be exceeded. Factors relating to the accident were: pressure (compelling influence) on the pilot and passenger that was induced by the need to rescue the stranded pilot from a life threatening situation, high winds, and large waves.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 10, 1995 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Glennallen, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N84TA · registry record · serial 594
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and passenger of a Bell 206B helicopter, N84TA, overheard radio transmissions about a float equipped Cessna 180A, N94259, that had become inverted on a lake. The helicopter pilot and passenger attempted a rescue of the stranded pilot, who had been sitting on the inverted floats of the airplane for about 5 hours and displayed symptoms of severe hypothermia and shock. A 30 knot wind was producing 3 to 4 feet waves. As the helicopter was hovered next to the airplane, the passenger partially stepped into an external load basket on the right side of the helicopter and began to assist the stranded pilot aboard the helicopter. At about that time, the helicopter began to roll to the right, and the main rotor blades struck the surface of the lake. The helicopter then impacted the lake and sank. The stranded pilot was struck by the helicopter's landing gear skid tube during the crash and received a serious chest injury. The pilot of a third aircraft (float equipped Beaver) observed the events and landed on the lake to rescue all of the participants. (See: ID Number ANC95LA164 for the initial accident involving the Cessna 180.)
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: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,500 hours in all; 150 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 6,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,118 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 6, 1995; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: U.S. Dept. Of Interior
The flight
- Departed from: GKN AK at 6:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 30 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
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.