Bell 206B III accident near Vermillion 255B, December 28, 1983
On December 28, 1983 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Bell 206B III (helicopter), registered N2145C, suffered minor damage in an accident near Vermillion 255B. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt. 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
- December 28, 1983 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Vermillion 255B
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B III · all 206B IIIs on the register
- Registration
- N2145C · no longer on the register · serial 3456
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE WAITING FOR PASSENGERS TO BOARD THE HELICOPTER THE PLT HEARD AND FELT SOMETHING HIT THE TAIL ROTOR. THE ENG WAS IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN AND IT WAS REVEALED THAT A PASSENGER HAD WALKED INTO THE TAIL ROTOR. THE PASSENGER WAS WAS WELL EXPERIENCED IN HELICOPTER OPERATION AT THE SITE AND HAD NOT FOLLOWED ESTABLISHED WALKWAYS TO THE ACFT.
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; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,109 hours in all; 979 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 3,541 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,618 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.