Bell 212 accident near Milton, Louisiana, June 9, 1984
On June 9, 1984 at about 3:50 am local time, a Bell 212 (helicopter), registered N1082G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Milton, Louisiana. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people 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
- June 9, 1984 · about 3:50 am local time
- Place
- Milton, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 212 · all 212s on the register
- Registration
- N1082G · registry record · serial 31109
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD CONSUMED ALCOHOL IN 2 DIFFERENT BARS PRIOR TO THE FLT. HE TOOK THE HELICOPTER WITHOUT AUTHORIZATION & DEPARTED WITH 2 PASSENGERS THAT HE HAD MET IN A BAR. HE STATED THAT HE WAS RETURNING TO THE ARPT WHEN HE EXPERIENCED AN UNUSUAL OSCILLATION IN THE YAW AXIS WHICH WAS IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWED BY THE HELICOPTER 'TUCKING' AND THEN IT ENTERED A DESCENDING RIGHT TURN. THE PLT TOOK CORRECTIVE ACTION. HOWEVER, THE ACFT SUBSEQUENTLY TOUCHED DOWN HARD IN A PLOWED FIELD, A SKID COLLAPSED & THE ACFT ROLLED OVER. AN EXAM OF THE HELICOPTER REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT MECHANICALMALFUNCTION OR FAILURE THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED NORMAL OPERATION. A BREATHILIZER TEST SHOWED AN ETHYL ALCOHOL CONCENTRATION OF 0.13%.
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: 4,215 hours in all; 136 in this make and model; 225 in the last 90 days; 3,899 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,240 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 8,500 lb
- Seats: 15
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6T-3 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Abbeville LA at 3:15 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 140° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:15 am from LFT, 9 miles away
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.