Bell 206B accident near Marble, Colorado, March 16, 1982
On March 16, 1982 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N2169X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Marble, Colorado. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 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
- March 16, 1982 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Marble, Colorado
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2169X · no longer on the register · serial 3502
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO TRANSPORT SKI GUIDES TO THE TOP OF A 13,000 FT MOUNTAIN RIDGE. AFTER CLIMBING IN MODERATE TO HIGH WINDS, THE PILOT APPROACHED THE INTENDED LANDING AREA FROM THE LEE SIDE AT AN ANGLE OF ABOUT 45 DEGREES TO THE RIDGELINE. HE REPORTED THAT DURING A NORMAL APPROACH, A SEVERE DOWNDRAFT WAS ENCOUNTERED ABOUT 50 FT SHORT OF THE INTENDED LANDING SPOT. THE HELICOPTER BEGAN A DESCENT WHICH EXCEEDED ITS CAPABILITY TO STOP. THE PILOT INITIATED A PEDAL TURN AWAY FROM THE RIDGELINE. HOWEVER, THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED TO SETTLE. IT CONTACTED THE TERRAIN WHILE HEADING ALMOST DIRECTLY DOWNHILL. THE HELICOPTER SLID APPROXIMATELY 50 TO 75 FT DOWN A 10 TO 15 DEGREE SLOPE UNTIL THE RIGHT SKID CONTACTED ROCKS BELOW THE SNOW AND SLOWED THE HELICOPTER TO A STOP. THE HELICOPTER WAS INSPECTED FOR OBVIOUS DAMAGE. THE PASSENGERS WERE OFF-LOADED AND THE HELICOPTER WAS FLOWN BACK TO MARBLE, CO WHERE MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL DISCOVERED DAMAGE TO THE BOX BEAM DOUBLER.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,522 hours in all; 306 in this make and model; 5,167 as pilot in command; 797 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 32 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Luebell Helicopters, INC
The flight
- Departed from: Marble CO at 12:45 pm
- Destination: Galena Mountain CO
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 108°F (42°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:48 pm from ASE, 16 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.