Bell 206B accident near Oakwood, Virginia, May 27, 1982
On May 27, 1982 at about 4:10 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N9986K, was destroyed in an accident near Oakwood, Virginia. 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 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
- May 27, 1982 · about 4:10 pm local time
- Place
- Oakwood, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N9986K · no longer on the register · serial 2012
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS FLYING RAILROAD OFFICIALS TO INSPECT RAIL LINES THAT HAD BEEN COVERED BY MUD SLIDES CAUSED BY RECENT HEAVY RAINS. A WITNESS HEARD THE HELICOPTER COMING UP THE VALLEY & THEN HEARD TWO POPPING SOUNDS. HE SAW THE HELICOPTER FALLING TO THE GROUND NEAR SOME POWER LINES STRUNG ACROSS THE VALLEY OVER THE RAILROAD TRACKS. THE POWER LINE ASSEMBLY CONSISTED OF TWO STATIC LINES AT THE TOP & THREE POWER LINES AT THE BOTTOM. THE UPPERMOST STATIC LINE WAS SEPARATED & LYING ON THE LOWER STATIC LINE. THE LINES ARE APPROXIMATELY 300 FT AGL & WERE UNMARKED. THE PLT WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE OPERATING AREA & PURPORTEDLY AWARE OF THE LOCATION OF THE POWER LINES.
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; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,701 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 15 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,300 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Vansant VA at 10:45 am
- Destination: Vansant VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 153°F (67°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:10 pm from BLF, 40 miles away
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.