Bell 206B accident near Supai, Arizona, November 1, 1996
On November 1, 1996 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N90144, was destroyed in an accident near Supai, Arizona (Uncharted Heliport airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
improper routing of the external cargo hoist cable (over helicopter skid), which resulted in lateral imbalance and roll-over of the helicopter, as weight on the cable became effective.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 1, 1996 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Supai, Arizona · Uncharted Heliport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N90144 · no longer on the register · serial 1623
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter was was being used in an external lift operation, moving supplies of salt to a storage location. The pilot reported that he was lifting to a hover over a loaded cargo net, unaware that the external load cable was draped over one of the skids. As the cable took the strain of the load, the helicopter rolled, and the lateral control limit was exceeded. The pilot released the load with an electrical switch; however, before control was regained, the helicopter contacted the ground, nose low, and the main rotor blades struck the ground. The pilot reported that from initial down-force on the skid until impact, the time frame was less than 4 seconds. He also reported no mechanical malfunction with the helicopter.
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; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,970 hours in all; 4,150 in this make and model; 112 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 9,317 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 31, 1996; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.