Bell 206L-1 accident near Red Rock, Arizona, April 4, 1983
On April 4, 1983 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Bell 206L-1 (helicopter), registered N302PS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Red Rock, Arizona. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 4, 1983 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Red Rock, Arizona
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-1 · all 206L-1s on the register
- Registration
- N302PS · registry record · serial 45731
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
REPORTEDLY, THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND IN A MOUNTAINOUS AREA IN CALM WIND CONDITIONS. AT AN ESTIMATED DISTANCE OF 350 FT & AN ALT OF APRX 75 FT ABOVE THE TOUCHDOWN ZONE, THE NOSE OF THE HELICOPTER BEGAN A GRADUAL LEFT TURN AS THE PLT APPLIED COLLECTIVE PITCH. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, HE NOTED THAT THE TURBINE OUTLET TEMP (TOT) WAS RISING & THE MAIN ROTOR RPM WAS DECAYING. THERE WAS A DEEP GORGE AHEAD, SO HE MADE A LEFT CYCLIC TURN & LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE IN AN ATTEMPT TO REACH A CLEARING. AS HE ATTEMPTED TO STABILIZE THE HELICOPTER, IT STARTED TO ROTATE TO THE RIGHT & THE ROTOR LOW RPM WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER SETTLED INTO A JUNIPER TREE & ROLLED OVER ONTO ITS SIDE. THE AIR TEMP & ELEVATION OF THE CRASH SITE WERE 24 DEG FAHRENHEIT & 7150 FT, RESPECTIVELY. A FUNCTIONAL TEST OF THE ENG REVEALED THAT IT WOULD OPERATE WITHIN ITS LIMITS. THE CONTROL CONTINUITY COULD NOT BE ESTIMATED DUE TO SEPARATION OF THE TAIL BOOM PUSH-PULL TUBE. REPORTEDLY, THE MAIN ROTOR & ENG RPM NEEDLES HAD REMAINED JOINED.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,836 hours in all; 662 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 7,119 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 672 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 27, 1983; 68 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C28B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Farmington NM at 4:30 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,800 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.