Bell 206B III accident near Hudson, New Hampshire, October 18, 1983
On October 18, 1983 at about 1:44 pm local time, a Bell 206B III (helicopter), registered N5011N, was destroyed in an accident near Hudson, New Hampshire. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- October 18, 1983 · about 1:44 pm local time
- Place
- Hudson, New Hampshire
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B III · all 206B IIIs on the register
- Registration
- N5011N · no longer on the register · serial 2590
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS ON A FLT TO PICK UP FILM FOR A TV STATION. WHILE EN ROUTE, HE MADE A MAYDAY CALL TO THE MANCHESTER CONTROL TOWER. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE ACFT WAS PROCEEDING IN A NORTHERLY DIRECTION AT ABOUT 700 TO 1000 FT AGL WHEN THEY HEARD A 'MUFFLED POP.' THE HELICOPTER THEN ENTERED A DESCENT & BANKED LEFT TOWARD AN OPEN AREA ADJACENT TO AN APARTMENT COMPLEX. SEVERAL WITNESSES STATED THEY OBSERVED THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES SLOWING DOWN DURING THE DESCENT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT CRASH LANDED IN A CONFINED AREA, CAME TO REST APRX 120 FT FROM THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT & BURNED. NONE OF THE WITNESSES SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE HELICOPTER BEFORE IT CRASHED. DISASSEMBLY TO THE ENG REVEALED THAT A 3RD STAGE TURBINE WHEEL BLADE HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot, military
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,646 hours in all; 1,255 in this make and model; 144 in the last 90 days; 2,397 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,672 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 9, 1983; 88 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: E.W. Wiggins Airways, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: OWD Norwood MA at 1:20 pm
- Destination: MHT Manchester NH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from MHT, 10 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.
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.