Bell 212 accident near Pagosa Springs, Colorado, June 18, 1996
On June 18, 1996 at about 9:48 pm local time, a Bell 212 (helicopter), registered N91AL, was destroyed in an accident near Pagosa Springs, Colorado. It was a public-use flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to comply with performance data for hover out of ground effect. A factor was not attaining load jettison.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 18, 1996 · about 9:48 pm local time
- Place
- Pagosa Springs, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 212 · all 212s on the register
- Registration
- N91AL · no longer on the register · serial 30821
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During support of forest fire fighting operations, the helicopter was conducting water drops and was on it's fifth drop of the flight. While proceeding upslope and down wind, at near maximum gross weight for hover out of ground effect, the helicopter began to settle. The pilot attempted to jettison the water load and reverse course. Jettisoning was unsuccessful and the helicopter settled into trees in the fire zone. The pilot sustained minor injuries and the helicopter sustained substantial damage from impact and post impact fire. During transport to storage by another helicopter, using a long line, the accident aircraft was dropped from approximately 700 feet, resulting in total destruction of the aircraft.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,800 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 8,400 as pilot in command; 1,800 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,833 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 18, 1996; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,200 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6T-3 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: NONE CO at 5:15 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 17 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:35 pm from DRO, 75 miles away
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.
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.