Bell 206B accident near John Day, Oregon, July 13, 1983
On July 13, 1983 at about 1:05 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N2202F, was substantially damaged in an accident near John Day, Oregon. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- July 13, 1983 · about 1:05 pm local time
- Place
- John Day, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2202F · registry record · serial 3521
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ROTORCRAFT PITCHED UP, YAWED RIGHT, MADE 180 DEGREE TURNAND LANDED HARD AFTER THE PILOT EXPERIENCED SUNGLARE DURING INITIAL CLIMB. THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE DEPARTING THE GRASS STRIP FOR AERIAL APPLICATION, THE SUN BURST FROM BEHIND ACLOUD & BLINDED HIM WHEN HE WAS ABOUT 40 FEET AGL. HE THEN LOST CONTROL OF THE ACFT AS IT PITCHED AND YAWED AND LOST AIRSPEED. THE PILOT COMPLETED A 180 DEGREE TURN AND LANDED HARD AFTER WHICH THE ROTORCRAFT ROLLED ONTO ITS RIGHT SIDE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 1,700 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 5,750 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,200 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 30, 1983; 1,030 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C205 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 1 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 pm from BND, 20 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.