Bell 206B accident near Honolulu, Hawaii, May 30, 1988
On May 30, 1988 at about 1:15 am local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N83203, was destroyed in an accident near Honolulu, Hawaii. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. 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
- May 30, 1988 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Honolulu, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N83203 · no longer on the register · serial 953
- 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
DURING A SIGHTSEEING FLT, JUST AFTER TAKE OFF, THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO SPIN TO THE RIGHT, THE PLT TRIED TO CORRECT THE SITUATION BY APPLYING LEFT RUDDER. THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED TO SPIN. THE PLT REDUCED THE THROTTLE AND ADJUSTED THE COLLECTIVE. THE SPIN STOPPED. HOWEVER, AT THIS TIME THE HELICOPTER WAS LOW OVER THE WATER. A WAVE CAUGHT THE SKID AND THE HELICOPTER ENTERED THE WATER AND ROLLED TO THE LEFT. INSPECTION OF THE HELICOPTER DID NOT REVEAL ANY MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,558 hours in all; 238 in this make and model; 92 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 2,914 as pilot in command; 560 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,840 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 19, 1988; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 11 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 200 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:55 pm from HNL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 2 |
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.