Bell 412 accident near Quantico, Virginia, March 12, 1998
On March 12, 1998 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Bell 412 (helicopter), registered N82628, was substantially damaged in an accident near Quantico, Virginia. It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain adequate altitude/clearance above the terrain and the lack of management oversight of aircrews and equipment.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 12, 1998 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Quantico, Virginia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 412 · all 412s on the register
- Registration
- N82628 · no longer on the register · serial 36106
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The FBI helicopter completed two circuits around a training road course at low altitude in pursuit of an automobile. The supervisor of the road course arranged the scenario with the pilot, and an instructor drove the automobile. A second vehicle that followed the pursuit filmed the flight. During the second lap, the vehicle reversed direction as it performed a sudden stop. The helicopter performed a deceleration and the tail skid, tailrotor, and tailboom struck the ground. A request for copies of procedural, operational, maintenance, and safety related programs and documents revealed that they either did not exist, or they were in draft form and unapproved for use. The flight was neither trained for, nor was it briefed. The pilots received training from the helicopter manufacturer, but no agency mission training or evaluations were noted in the accident helicopter. The FBI convened an Aviation Accident Review Board (AARB). According to the Board, '... [Unit] pilots worked under the 'fly one helicopter, fly all helicopter' assumption. AARB members unanimously agreed that no management oversight of [unit] operations currently exists.'
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; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,031 hours in all; 70 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 659 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 22, 1998; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,500 lb
- Seats: 15
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VA at 10:15 pm
- Destination: HEF Manassas VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 20 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 5°F (-15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 pm from NYG, 8 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.