Bell 206B accident near Sabine, Texas, July 14, 1982
On July 14, 1982 at about 12:17 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N116AL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sabine, Texas. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 3 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
- July 14, 1982 · about 12:17 pm local time
- Place
- Sabine, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N116AL · registry record · serial 002389
- 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
DURING FLIGHT AT ABOUT 500 FT AGL, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT BEGAN AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING AND MADE A MAYDAY CALL. HE AUTOROTATED TO A MARSHY AREA WHICH HAD 4 TO 5 FT GRASS. THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN HARD AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES FLEXED DOWN AND SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT SPLINES ON THE FUEL PUMP DRIVE SHAFT, PN 102-1416-01, HAD WORN TO A POINT WHERE THEY NO LONGER ENGAGED THE SPLINE ADAPTER. ALL APPLICABLE INSPECTIONS HAD BEEN COMPLIED WITH, 205 HRS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 13,578 hours in all; 5,045 in this make and model; 131 in the last 90 days; 9,689 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,033 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250C-20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Logistics
The flight
- Departed from: 154 High Island GM at 6:50 am
- Destination: Cameron LA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 172°F (78°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.