Bell 206B accident near St. Charles, Missouri, August 9, 1992
On August 9, 1992 at about 11:10 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N200LT, was destroyed in an accident near St. Charles, Missouri. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO SEE AND AVOID THE WIRES, AND HIS PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT DUE TO ALCOHOL CONSUMPTION. A FACTOR WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE EFFECT OF THE ALCOHOL IMPAIRMENT WAS THE MEDICINE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 1992 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- St. Charles, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N200LT · registry record · serial 3316
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE MANEUVERING OVER THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER, THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH UNMARKED POWER TRANSMISSION LINES AND CRASHED INTO THE RIVER BELOW. THE PILOT'S TOXICOLOGICAL EXAM REVEALED A BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL OF 114 MG/DL. IN ADDITION, THE TOX WAS POSITIVE FOR CHLORPHENIRAMINE AND PHENYLPROPANOLAMINE IN THE URINE, A COMBINATION COMMONLY FOUND IN NON-PRESCRIPTION ALLERGY/SINUS HEADACHE MEDICINES SUCH AS ALLEREST, CONTAC, AND CHLOR-TRIMETON. WARNINGS PLACED ON ALLEREST STATE THAT THE MEDICATION 'MAY CAUSE DROWSINESS; ALCOHOL, SEDATIVES, AND TRANQUILIZERS MAY INCREASE THE DROWSINESS EFFECT...USE CAUTION WHEN DRIVING A MOTOR VEHICLE OR OPERATING MACHINERY.'
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,952 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 24, 1992
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 13,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from STL, 14 miles away
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.