Bell 206BIII accident near Kaplan, Louisiana, May 8, 1990
On May 8, 1990 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Bell 206BIII (helicopter), registered N2187P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kaplan, Louisiana. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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
RESTRICTED MOVEMENT OF THE RIGHT SKID ASSEMBLY CAUSING THE LATERAL CENTER OF GRAVITY TO BE EXCEEDED DURING THE ATTEMPTED TAKE OFF.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 8, 1990 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Kaplan, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206BIII · all 206BIIIs on the register
- Registration
- N2187P · no longer on the register · serial 3499
- 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
THE HELICOPTER PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO TAKE OFF FROM A WET, MARSHY FIELD LOCATION WHEN THE RIGHT SKID WOULD NOT BREAK FREE. THE HELICOPTER ROLLED OVER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE. NO MECHANICAL FAILURE WAS NOTED DURING THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: balloon; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: gyroplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 20,397 hours in all; 3,500 in this make and model; 170 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 19,000 as pilot in command; 4,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,279 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 22, 1990; 84 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20J (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Industrial Helicopters INC
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Vr-265 GM at 3:30 pm
- Destination: LA19 Kaplan LA
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from LFT, 15 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.