Bell 206L-1 accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, November 27, 1983
On November 27, 1983 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Bell 206L-1 (helicopter), registered N2070Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- November 27, 1983 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-1 · all 206L-1s on the register
- Registration
- N2070Z · no longer on the register · serial 45730
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TRANSPORTING A PATIENT & 2 CREWMEMBERS, THE PLT TOOK OFF FROM A MEDICAL CENTER HELIPAD TO OBTAIN FUEL AT A NEARBY ARPT. SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTING, A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER WAS ENCOUNTERED. THE PLT STARTED TO LAND ON A ROAD, BUT SAW A CAR & TURNED TO AVOID IT. AT ABOUT THAT TIME, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES HIT A METAL STREET LAMP POLE. THE PLT THEN MANEUVERD BELOW WIRES THAT WERE AHEAD. HE CONTINUED THE EMERGENCY LANDING & STOPPED AFTER SKIDDING ABOUT 30 TO 40 FT ON THE ROAD. AN EXAM OF THE ENG WAS MADE, BUT THE CAUSE OF THE PARTIAL POWER LOSS WAS NOT DETERMINED.
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: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,699 hours in all; 1,633 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 3,577 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 598 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,050 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C28 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N2070Z the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.