Bell 204-B accident near Cedar Crest, New Mexico, October 1, 1993
On October 1, 1993 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Bell 204-B (helicopter), registered N41699, was involved in an accident near Cedar Crest, New Mexico. It was an other work-use flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF GROUND PERSONNEL TO FOLLOW PUBLISHED PROCEDURES. A FACTOR WAS THE THE LOAD JETTISON.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 1, 1993 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Cedar Crest, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 204-B · all 204-Bs on the register
- Registration
- N41699 · registry record · serial 2040
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATIONS THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO POSITION HIS LOAD, A TELEPHONE POLE, INTO A HOLE. THE HELICOPTER WAS MOVED TO A DESIGNATED LOAD RELEASE AREA SO THAT THE PILOT COULD JETTISON THE LOAD. AFTER THE LOAD WAS JETTISONED A WORKER RAN INTO THE AREA TO RETRIEVE A TOOL AND THE TELEPHONE POLE BOUNCED INTO HIM.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,500 hours in all; 150 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 8,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme
- Maximum gross weight: 8,500 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming L-13 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AEG Albuquerque NM at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N41699 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.