Mbb BO-105CBS accident near Penn Yan, New York, December 13, 1996
On December 13, 1996 at about 2:13 am local time, a Mbb BO-105CBS (helicopter), registered N90750, was destroyed in an accident near Penn Yan, New York. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain altitude/clearance from the terrain. Factors relating to the accident were: the pilot's diverted attention to the GPS, darkness, low ceiling, rising terrain, and high wind condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 13, 1996 · about 2:13 am local time
- Place
- Penn Yan, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Mbb BO-105CBS
- Registration
- N90750 · no longer on the register · serial S-154
- 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 pilot landed the helicopter in an open field for a medical evacuation. He had planned to fly to a hospital about 40 miles northwest. After takeoff, the pilot radioed the company dispatcher that he was airborne, and to standby for time and distance to the destination. The distance would be obtained from a GPS located on the rear of the helicopter's center console. About 2 minutes later, the helicopter crashed in a secluded wooded area on rising terrain about 1.1 miles northwest of the departure point. Witnesses reported that the cloud cover and the isolated area made a dark night with no discernable horizon. Winds were reported as strong and gusty from the south/southeast. The topography surrounding the area included rising terrain, with peaks at 2,700 feet msl. The helicopter had departed an airport with an elevation of 814 feet msl. The pick-up point was 1,540 feet msl, and the accident site was 1,740 feet msl. Cloud cover in the area was at 1,900 to 2,000 feet msl.
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, military
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,450 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 3,850 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,036 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 30, 1996; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,291 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Ems Air Services Of New York
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Jersusalem NY at 2:11 am
- Destination: NONE Rochester NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 150° at 13 knots, gusting 19
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 am from PEO, 10 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.