Bell 206B accident near Mustang Island, November 1, 1986
On November 1, 1986 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N5741K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mustang Island. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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
- November 1, 1986 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mustang Island
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N5741K · no longer on the register · serial 3047
- 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
ACFT EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS IMMEDIATELY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM AN OFFSHORE PLATFORM IN THE GULF OF MEXICO. THE PLT HELD COLLECTIVE TO CLEAR THE RIG AND THEN POPPED THE FLOATS AND AUTOROTATED TO THE WATER. THE AUTO WAS SUCCESSFUL, HOWEVER, THE ACFT WAS STRUCK BY A 5' WAVE AND ROLLED OVER. BOTH OCCUPANTS EGRESSED WITHOUT PROBLEM AND THE PAX SWAM TO THE RIG. THE PLT INFLATED HIS LIFE VEST AND WAS SWEPT AWAY BY THE CURRENT AND SWAM ASHORE 14 HOURS LATER. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE COMPRESSOR DISCHARGE PRESSURE (PC) LINE WAS DISCONNECTED FROM THE BACK OF THE ENG FUEL CONTROL. A LEAK OR SEPARATION OF THE PC LINE WOULD CAUSE THE FUEL SCHEDULE TO REDUCE ENG SPEED TO BELOW FLT IDLE. NO RECENT MAINTENANCE HAD BEEN PERFORMED ON THE FUEL CONTROL OR THE LINE.
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: 7,441 hours in all; 4,500 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 6,291 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,119 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, October 4, 1986; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 772 at 8:00 pm
- Destination: CRP Corpus Christi TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:48 pm from CRP, 25 miles away
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.