Bell 206B accident near Pearland, Texas, August 18, 1988
On August 18, 1988 at about 4:40 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N16962, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pearland, Texas (Houston Helicopter airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- August 18, 1988 · about 4:40 pm local time
- Place
- Pearland, Texas · Houston Helicopter
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N16962 · no longer on the register · serial 236Z
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER WAS AT 300 FEET AGL, MAKING AN APPROACH AFTER A MAINTENANCE TEST FLIGHT, WHEN THE ENGINE OVERTEMPED AND ENGINE POWER WAS LOST. DURING THE AUTOROTATION LANDING, THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN HARD. THE ACFT ENG BEGAN TO DECELERATE PRIOR TO AUTOROTATION WHEN THE ENG TEMP ROSE TO 1000 DEGREES. A FLARE WAS INITIATED TO SLOW THE FORWARD SPEED AND COLLECTIVE PITCH WAS APPLIED TO CUSHION THE LANDING.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,780 hours in all; 1,371 in this make and model; 132 in the last 90 days; 4,641 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,871 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison A250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Houston Helicopters, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N16962 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.