Bell 206B accident near Venice, Louisiana, July 27, 1983
On July 27, 1983 at about 10:50 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N2268X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Venice, Louisiana (Venice airport). 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 27, 1983 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Venice, Louisiana · Venice · 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
- N2268X · registry record · serial 3607
- 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
THE ACFT LANDED HARD DURING AN AUTOROTATION LANDING. THE PLT SAID HE COULD NOT CONTROL THE ENGINE RPM WITH RPM SWITCH ONTHE COLLECTIVE OR THE MANUAL THROTTLE CONTROL. N2 TENDED TO GO OVER 100 PERCENT. THE PLT NOTIFIED HIS COMPANY AND PLANNED FOR AN AUTOROTATION ON A GRASS STRIP. THE PLT STATED THAT HE ROLLED OFF THROTTLE AT 2100 FT AGL AND 110 KTS. AT ABOUT 10 FT AGL WITH FULL RIGHT PEDAL APPLIED THE ACFT CONTINUED YAWING LEFT AND IMPACTED THE GROUND. A HIGH SIDE GOVERNOR FAILURE WAS SUSPECTED BY THE OPERATOR TO BE THE CAUSE OF THE PLTS INABILITY TO CONTROL N2 RPM. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION FAILED TO REVEAL ANY MALFUNCTIONS. THE ACFT WAS REPAIRED AND RETURNED TO SERVICE.
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: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,283 hours in all; 699 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days; 2,039 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,510 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, July 23, 1983; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20J (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: South Pass 62B GM at 10:38 pm
- Destination: South Pass 62A GM
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.