Bell 206B-III accident near Pellston, Michigan, February 10, 1996
On February 10, 1996 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Bell 206B-III (helicopter), registered N2157J, was destroyed in an accident near Pellston, Michigan. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
flight into known adverse weather conditions (fog) at too low an altitude by the pilot. Factors associated with this accident were inadequate preflight planning and an improper inflight decision by the pilot when he chose to continue flight into the fog conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 10, 1996 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Pellston, Michigan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B-III · all 206B-IIIs on the register
- Registration
- N2157J · registry record · serial 3428
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter was declared missing on the day it had departed from its home airport. Three days later, it was found on top of a heavily wooded, snow covered, hill. According to the local coroner, the pilot had survived the accident but not the cold weather. There was no cold weather survival gear found at the accident scene. The helicopter was not equipped with an ELT. On the day it was declared missing, the helicopter was observed at an airport about 10 miles south-southwest of the accident site. The witness said it took off departing north at an altitude between 300 and 400 feet above ground level. The same witness said the visibility was 1 to 2 miles. Witnesses about 1 mile west of the accident site heard a metallic crashing sound. They said the tree tops east of them were obscured. An airport, about 1 miles east of the accident site, reported 3 miles visibility with fog about the time the witnesses reported hearing the collision sounds. The airframe, control system, and power plant examination revealed no anomalies that would have prevented flight.
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: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 519 hours in all; 108 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 323 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,173 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 2, 1995; 58 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250C-20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: D87 Harbor Springs MI at 5:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:51 pm from PLN, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N2157J the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.