Bell 206L-1 accident near Portland, Maine, November 20, 1993
On November 20, 1993 at about 1:39 am local time, a Bell 206L-1 (helicopter), registered N911ME, was destroyed in an accident near Portland, Maine. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, AND HIS FAILURE TO ASSURE THAT ADEQUATE FUEL WAS AVAILABLE TO COMPLETE THE FLIGHT, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE WEATHER, THE DARK NIGHT AND THE ROUGH SEA CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 20, 1993 · about 1:39 am local time
- Place
- Portland, Maine
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-1 · all 206L-1s on the register
- Registration
- N911ME · no longer on the register · serial 45553
- Damage
- Destroyed
- 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 STATED THAT HE HAD DEPARTED PORTLAND EARLIER WITH 2 HR 45 MIN OF FUEL TO PICK UP THE PATIENT AT ELLSWORTH. HE STATED THAT HIS TOTAL CAPACITY WAS ABOUT 57O LBS, AND THE FUEL BURN FOR THE HELICOPTER WAS 200-220 LBS/HR. HE SAID THE 97 NM FLIGHT IS NORMALLY COMPLETED UNDER 1 HR, BUT TOOK 1 HR 10 MIN DUE TO WINDS. HE THEN DEPARTED ELLSWORTH WITH 310 LBS OF FUEL FOR THE RETURN FLIGHT. DURING THE RETURN FLIGHT TO PORTLAND HE ENCOUNTERED INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND A 'SUBSTANTTIAL HEAD WIND OF 40 TO 60 KNOTS.' WHILE BEING VECTORED INTO PORTLAND THE ENGINE QUIT AND THE HELICOPTER DITCHED IN THE OCEAN IN ROUGH SEAS 7 MI EAST OF THE AIRPORT. ACCORDING TO THE COMPANY OPERATIONS MANUAL FOR EMS PROCEDURES, IT STATES IN PART, 'THE MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE WEATHER IS IN VFR CONDITIONS...'.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,221 hours in all; 3,640 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 8,100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,220 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, October 12, 1993; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison A250-C28B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Echo Helicopter INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Ellsworth ME
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 130° at 13 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:41 am from PWM, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.