Bell 206L-3 accident near Saint Paul, Minnesota, November 2, 1989
On November 2, 1989 at about 10:36 am local time, a Bell 206L-3 (helicopter), registered N3174S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Saint Paul, Minnesota (Holman Fld airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL. DARKNESS WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 2, 1989 · about 10:36 am local time
- Place
- Saint Paul, Minnesota · Holman Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-3 · all 206L-3s on the register
- Registration
- N3174S · registry record · serial 51036
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG AN EMERGENCY MEDICAL SVC (EMS/MEDEVAC) FLT, THE PLT ENCTRD STRONGER HEADWINDS THAN EXPECTED. AFTER DELIVERING A PATIENT, HE ESTIMATED 12 MIN OF FUEL WAS REMAINING. SINCE THE FLT TO HIS HOME BASE WOULD TAKE ABOUT 6 MIN, HE ELECTED TO RETURN WITHOUT REFUELING. WHILE ARRIVING ABEAM OF HIS DESTN, A FUEL BOOST PUMP LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE PLT SAID HE EXPEDITED HIS APCH, BUT AT ABOUT 50' AGL, A 2ND BOOST PUMP LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE ENG THEN LOST POWER FROM FUEL EXHAUSTION. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER WAS DAMAGED DRG AN EMERGENCY AUTOROTATION (AT NIGHT).
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,436 hours in all; 1,435 in this make and model; 74 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 4,063 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,207 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 21, 1989; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C30B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Methods, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: MY65 Minneapolis MN at 10:29 am
- Runway 27, 3,642 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 300° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:52 am from MSP, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.