Bell B206LI accident near Port O'Connor, Texas, September 12, 1990
On September 12, 1990 at about 12:10 pm local time, a Bell B206LI (helicopter), registered N882BT, was destroyed in an accident near Port O'Connor, Texas. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER ALTITUDE. FACTORS WERE THE PILOT'S DECISION TO FLY INTO THE KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER AND THE WEATHER/LIGHT CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 12, 1990 · about 12:10 pm local time
- Place
- Port O'Connor, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bell B206LI
- Registration
- N882BT · no longer on the register · serial 45716
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER DEPARTED AT DAWN FOR A VFR FLIGHT FROM A COASTAL BASE EN ROUTE TO AN OFFSHORE OIL PLATFORM DURING IMC. THE CEILING WAS LOW AND RAIN SHOWERS WERE PASSING THROUGH THE AREA. AFTER THE HELICOPTER FLEW PAST THE SHORELINE IT PENETRATED A HEAVY RAIN SHOWER. THE PILOT DESCENDED THE HELICOPTER AND ATTEMPTED TO MAINTAIN VISUAL CONTACT WITH A LIGHT ON AN OIL PLATFORM LOCATED IN HIS LINE OF SIGHT. THE RIGHT SKID DIPPED INTO THE WATER AND THE HELICOPTER TUMBLED FORWARD AND IMPACTED THE WATER. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE PASSENGER REPORTED THAT IT WAS DARK DURING THE DEPARTURE WITH THE LIGHT ON THE RIG THE ONLY THING VISIBLE. HE REMEMBERED THE PILOT FLYING THE HELICOPTER INTO THE WATER WITH NO WARNING LIGHTS OR HORNS ACTIVATED PRIOR TO IMPACT.
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: 7,907 hours in all; 2,300 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,094 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 4, 1990; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C28B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Industrial Helicopters, INC.
The flight
- Destination: NONE Mi 664 GM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 060° at 8 knots, gusting 13
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; scat at 300 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.