Bell 206L-3 accident near Goliad, Texas, January 21, 1983
On January 21, 1983 at about 10:11 am local time, a Bell 206L-3 (helicopter), registered N3899U, was destroyed in an accident near Goliad, Texas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- January 21, 1983 · about 10:11 am local time
- Place
- Goliad, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-3 · all 206L-3s on the register
- Registration
- N3899U · no longer on the register · serial 51016
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH TREES AND THE GROUND IN AN ATTEMPT TO REVERSE DIRECTIONS AT LOW ALT & AT NIGHT AFTER ENCOUNTERING WEATHER. THE PLT HAD RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING AND KNEW THE WEATHER WAS BAD WITH LOW CEILINGS AND FOG. HERADIOED HE COULD MAKE IT BY FOLLOWING THE HIGHWAY AT LOW ALT. THE FLT PURPOSE WAS TO TRANSPORT AN 890 LB VALVE. THE PLT WAS IN CONTACT WITH ELLINGTON TOWER AND A POLICE HELICOPTER DURING THE INITIAL PART OF THE FLT, DISCUSSING THE WEATHER AND HIS INTENTIONS. THERE WAS NO RADIO CONTACT AFTER THE HELICOPTER LEFT THE HOUSTON AREA. THE WRECKAGE WAS FOUND ABOUT 135 MILES FROM HOUSTON ORIENTED ALONG A HEADING OF ABOUT 075 DEGREES FOR A DISTANCE OF ABOUT 500 FT FROM THEINITIAL POINT OF CONTACT WITH ABOUT A 75 FT HIGH TREE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FLT CONTROL OR ENGINE MALFUNCTION PRIOR TO IMPACT. THE CARGO VALVE WAS FOUND 30 FT FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE. CABIN STRUCTURE SHOWED EVIDENCE THE VALVE WAS PROPELLED THROUGH THE RIGHT SIDE OF CABIN/DOOR/CUSHION AFTER IMPACT. NO TIE DOWN CARGO STRAPS WERE FOUND.
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: 3,166 hours in all; 135 in this make and model; 134 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 200 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 19, 1983; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C30 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7XS6 Houston TX
- Destination: ALI N Alice TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 350° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft; not recorded at 300 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 am from NIR, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.