S.N.I.A.S. AS350D accident near Houston, Texas, December 16, 1982
On December 16, 1982 at about 5:30 pm local time, a S.N.I.A.S. AS350D (helicopter), registered N801DB, was destroyed in an accident near Houston, Texas (Powers Air Helistop airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- December 16, 1982 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · Powers Air Helistop
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- S.N.I.A.S. AS350D
- Registration
- N801DB · registry record · serial 1195
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT AS HE CAME TO A HOVER TO LAND, AN ENGINE SURGE OCCURRED WHICH SENT THE HELICOPTER BACK INTO THE AIR. REPORTEDLY, THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO SURGE OFF AND ON, AND AS HELICOPTER CAME DOWN, IT WOULD IMPACT THE GROUND AND BOUNCE BACK IN THE AIR. THE PILOT STATED THAT AS THE FINAL SURGE OCCURRED, THE HELICOPTER SEEMED TO HIT, LEFT SKID LOW, AND ROLL OVER. THE OCCUPANTS EGRESSED AND THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO RUN. ABOUT 10 MIN LATER, THE HELICOPTER BEGAN BURNING AND WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,100 hours in all; 23 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,859 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,300 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming LTS-101 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: BPT Beaumont TX at 11:30 am
- Destination: Houston TX
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.