Bell 206B accident near Airville, Pennsylvania, April 12, 1989
On April 12, 1989 at about 1:44 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N157P, was destroyed in an accident near Airville, Pennsylvania. It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO SEE AND AVOID THE UNMARKED POWER LINES STRETCHED ACROSS THE RIVER. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE LACK OF VISUAL CLUES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 12, 1989 · about 1:44 pm local time
- Place
- Airville, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N157P · registry record · serial 2771
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER WAS BEING OPERATED BY THE PA STATE POLICE OVER THE SUSQUEHANNA RIVER SEARCHING FOR A POSSIBLE VICTIM REPORTED TO HAVE JUMPED INTO THE RIVER. IT WAS TRAVELLING IN A SOUTHWESTERLY DIRECTION WHEN IT HIT UNMARKED POWER LINES STRETCHED EAST AND WEST ACROSS, AND ABOUT 160 FT ABOVE, THE RIVER. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED IN ABOUT 10 FEET OF WATER. THE POWER LINES WERE SUPPORTED BY 60-FOOT WOODEN POLES SET BACK INTO THE WOOD LINE, AND WERE NOT SHOWN ON ANY OF THE AREA CHARTS.
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, military
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,283 hours in all; 719 in this make and model; 84 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 3,283 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,271 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 11, 1989; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-L20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N/A Lancaster PA at 1:02 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N157P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.