Bell 206B accident near Honolulu, Hawaii, March 18, 1988
On March 18, 1988, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N2995W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Honolulu, Hawaii (Ala Wai airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- March 18, 1988
- Place
- Honolulu, Hawaii · Ala Wai · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2995W · registry record · serial 1192
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE PLT REDUCED THE THROTTLE AND REMOVED HIS LEFT HAND FROM THE THROTTLE/COLLECTIVE PITCH CONTROL TO RETUNE THE RADIO. HIS ATTENTION WAS DIRECTED TO THE FREQUENCY INDICATOR DURING THE PROCEDURE. THE HELICOPTER BECAME AIRBORNE AND MOVED TO THE RIGHT TOWARDS A FENCE. THE PILOT REDUCED THE COLLECTIVE PITCH AND ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE HELICOPTER'S MOVEMENT TO THE RIGHT. ON TOUCHDOWN, HOWEVER, THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH THE FENCE. THE RIGHT HEEL SEPARATED FROM THE SKID; THE LANDING GEAR REAR CROSS TUBE ROTATED IN ITS ATTACH FITTING, AND THE TAILBOOM WAS BUCKLED.
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; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,220 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 155 in the last 90 days; 3,840 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,754 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 13, 1988; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HNL Honolulu HI
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from HNL, 8 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.
Other NTSB records under N2995W 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.