Bell 206L-3 accident near West Monroe, Louisiana, June 20, 1993
On June 20, 1993 at about 10:42 pm local time, a Bell 206L-3 (helicopter), registered N911MT, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Monroe, Louisiana. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PLANNING AND PREPARATION PRIOR TO TAKEOFF, AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN OBSTACLE CLEARANCE. FACTORS WERE THE FOG AND LOW CEILING
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 20, 1993 · about 10:42 pm local time
- Place
- West Monroe, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-3 · all 206L-3s on the register
- Registration
- N911MT · no longer on the register · serial 51171
- 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
AN AIR AMBULANCE HELICOPTER IMPACTED HIGH TENSION POWER LINES WHILE ON INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB FROM THE MEDIAN OF AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AFTER PICKING UP ONE PATIENT WHO HAD BEEN INVOLVED IN AN AUTOMOBILE ACCIDENT. THE WEATHER WAS REPORTED AS 500 FEET OVERCAST WITH 4 MILES VISIBILITY IN FOG AND RAIN SHOWERS. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT SEE THE FOUR UNMARKED HIGH TENSION WIRES PRIOR TO EXECUTING HIS TAKEOFF
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 3,600 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 787 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 2, 2000; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C30 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Monroe LA at 10:35 pm
- Destination: NONE Ruston LA
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded at 500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from MLU, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.