Bell 206B accident near Mcgregor Point, Hawaii, November 29, 1996
On November 29, 1996 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N6262N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mcgregor Point, Hawaii. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain control of the aircraft and distance from the pole.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 29, 1996 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mcgregor Point, Hawaii · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N6262N · no longer on the register · serial 133
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter was operating in mountainous terrain assisting in the construction of power lines. The helicopter was positioning the passenger near the conductor lines in preparation for a line-pull. The passenger was sitting behind the pilot in the rear seat. The passenger would physically kick the travelers into the proper position at the top of the 80-foot metal pole in preparation for a line pull to establish proper tension. According to the witnesses, the helicopter was approaching pole number 89 from the upwind side to straighten the traveler. As they aligned the traveler and moved away, the rotor wash cocked the traveler off-line again. The helicopter reapproached the pole at a speed higher than before. The helicopter skid contacted the pole 2 feet below the top and the helicopter dynamically rolled over the top of the pole. The pole entered the pilot's doorway. The pilot released all controls and braced himself against the pole during the maneuver. The helicopter severed three main conductors before colliding with the ground.
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: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,198 hours in all; 117 in this make and model; 182 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,453 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 20, 1996; 26 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: NONE Mcgregor Point HI at 4:30 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 17 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from OGG, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.