Bell 206B accident near Centerville, Alabama, January 17, 1982
On January 17, 1982 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N203AL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Centerville, Alabama. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 17, 1982 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Centerville, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N203AL · registry record · serial 1331
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE MISHAP OCCURRED DURING A PRACTICE HOVER WITH A 100 FT CABLE IN PREPARATION FOR AN EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATION. WHILE HOVERING ABOUT 100 FT AGL, THE FUEL BOOST PUMP LIGHT ILLUMINATED AND THE BOOST PUMP PRESSURE DROPPED TO ZERO. A DESCENT WAS STARTED; HOWEVER, WHILE STILL AT ABOUT 100 FT AGL, THE ENGINE LOST ALL POWER. THE PILOT ENTERED AN AUTOROTATION, BUT THE AIRCRAFT LANDED HARD. THE PILOT NOTED FROST ON THE FUEL CAP THAT WAS NOT PRESENT DURING THE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION. ALSO, A SMALL AMOUNT OF ICE WAS OBSERVED FLOATING IN THE FUEL ABOUT 45 MINUTES AFTER THE ACCIDENT. DURING A SUBSEQUENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE AND AIRCRAFT, WATER WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL TANK, AIRFRAME FUEL FILTER, ENGINE FUEL PUMP FILTER AND HIGH PRESSURE FUEL FILTER. THE FUEL SUPPLY LINE FROM THE HIGH PRESSURE FUEL FILTER TO THE FUEL CONTROL WAS EMPTY. ANTI-ICE FUEL ADDITIVE WAS NOT REQUIRED IN THE FUEL, SINCE THIS BELL 206B WAS EQUIPPED WITH AN AIRFRAME FUEL FILTER. THE SOURCE OF WATER/ICE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. TEMPERATURE MINUS 1 DEG F.
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: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,412 hours in all; 959 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 3,263 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,150 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 167 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250C-20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Logistics
The flight
- Departed from: Centerville AL at 7:36 am
- Destination: Centerville AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 315° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.