Bell 206B accident near Watrous, New Mexico, February 24, 1982
On February 24, 1982 at about 4:35 am local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N2272D, was destroyed in an accident near Watrous, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- February 24, 1982 · about 4:35 am local time
- Place
- Watrous, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2272D · registry record · serial 3551
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER STRUCK POWER AND COMMUNICATION LINES AFTER TAKING OFF AT NIGHT. AFTER HITTING THE LINES, IT CRASHED INTO A RAILROAD GRADE AND BRIDGE. THE CRASH SITE WAS ABOUT ONE MILE FROM THE DEPARTURE POINT. AN INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION. IT WAS NOTED THAT THE CIRCUIT BREAKERS FOR THE FUEL BOOST PUMP AND THE MASTER CAUTION SYSTEMS WERE OPEN. A TOXICOLOGICAL CHECK OF THE PILOT'S BLOOD REVEALED 266 MG PERCENT OF ETHYL ALCOHOL.
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; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,750 hours in all; 95 in this make and model; 95 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 164 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Doolittle Enterprises INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Doolittle Ranch NM
- Destination: Albuquerque NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 260° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 113°F (45°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from LVS, 25 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.
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.