Bell 12 accident near Mustang Blk A11, March 2, 1982
On March 2, 1982 at about 3:10 pm local time, a Bell 12 (helicopter), registered N1080S, was involved in an accident near Mustang Blk A11. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 2, 1982 · about 3:10 pm local time
- Place
- Mustang Blk A11
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 12
- Registration
- N1080S · registry record · serial 32121
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE THE HELICOPTER WAS AT FLIGHT IDLE WAITING FOR THE NEXT LOAD OF PASSENGERS TO BOARD, A PASSENGER, WHO HAD BEEN TRAINED IN HELICOPTER SAFETY, WALKED INTO THE ROTOR BLADES. THE PASSENGER WAS ATTEMPTING TO PASS BEHIND THE TAIL ROTOR WHEN HE WAS STRUCK IN THE HEAD.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,864 hours in all; 184 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 3,637 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,657 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,200 lb
- Seats: 16
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6T-3 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Petroleum Helicopter'S INC
The flight
- Departed from: Mustang Blk A11 GM at 9:10 am
- Destination: Ingleside Tx
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 144°F (62°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 am
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW82DA076.