Bell 206L-3 accident near Grand Canyon, Arizona, October 25, 1983
On October 25, 1983 at about 5:20 pm local time, a Bell 206L-3 (helicopter), registered N38903, was substantially damaged in an accident near Grand Canyon, Arizona. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 7 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
- October 25, 1983 · about 5:20 pm local time
- Place
- Grand Canyon, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-3 · all 206L-3s on the register
- Registration
- N38903 · no longer on the register · serial 51017
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON A NON-REVENUE BUSINESS FLT, THE PLT NOTED A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER WITH THE N1 DROPPING TO 70% RPM & THE TORQUE DECREASING TO 10%. HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTORE POWER & SUBSEQUENTLY MADE A FORCED LANDING IN THE GRAND CANYON. THE LANDING WAS MADE ON AN UPWARD SLOPE. DURING TOUCHDOWN, THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK & SEVERED THE REAR PORTION OF THE TAIL BOOM. AFTER LANDING, THE N1 WAS STILL AT 70% WITH THE THROTTLE FULL OPEN. AN EXAM OF THE HELICOPTER & ENG REVEALED NO CAUSE FOR THE LOSS OF POWER. EVENTUALLY, AN OPERATIONAL CHECK OF THE ENG WAS MADE, BUT STILL NO DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED. THE ELEVATION OF THE CRASH SITE WAS APRX 3500 FT.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,200 hours in all; 103 in this make and model; 293 in the last 90 days; 7,050 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,707 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 21, 1983; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C30P (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 10 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 pm from GCN, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 6 |
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 N38903 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.