Bell 206B accident near Nanuet, New York, August 10, 1989
On August 10, 1989 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N16929, was substantially damaged in an accident near Nanuet, New York. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 10, 1989 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Nanuet, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N16929 · registry record · serial 2314
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT HE CHECKED THE FUEL PRIOR TO DEPARTURE FROM WHITE PLAINS AND IT SHOWED ABOUT 15 TO 18 GALS REMAINING. ABOUT 5 MILES EAST OF RAMAPO, HE NOTICED A RAPID DECREASE IN THE FUEL AND ASCENDED TO ABOUT 2200 FEET. THE FUEL PUMP WARNING LIGHT STARTED TO FLICKER AND HE IMMEDIATELY DESCENDED FOR A EMERGENCY LANDING. THE HELIOCPTER STARTED TO YAW. THE PILOT THEN MADE A HOVER AUTOROTATION, BUT THE HELICOPTER WAS DAMAGED DURING THE LANDING. EXCEPT FOR THE LACK OF FUEL, NO PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE HELICOPTER WAS EVIDENT.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,300 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 1,050 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,033 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 12, 1989; 33 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HPN White Plains NY at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 52°F (11°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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC89LA188.