Bell 212 accident near Coos Bay, Oregon, October 20, 1983
On October 20, 1983 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Bell 212 (helicopter), registered N82W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Coos Bay, 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
- October 20, 1983 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Coos Bay, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 212 · all 212s on the register
- Registration
- N82W · registry record · serial 31156
- 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 HELICOPTER SNAGGED A CABLE WITH ITS SKID DURING TAKEOFF AND ROLLED OVER. THE ACFT HAD LANDED FOR FUEL AND WAS TAKINGOFF AFTER REFUELING WHEN A CABLE ATTACHED TO A FERTILIZER DISPENCER CAUGHT ON THE HELICOPTER'S SKID. THE ACFT ROLLED TO THE RIGHT AND FOWARD. IT CAME TO REST 50 FT FROM THE HOVER SPOT ON ITS LEFT 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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,044 hours in all; 710 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 5,890 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 806 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 10, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 11,200 lb
- Seats: 15
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6T-3B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from OTH, 12 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.
Other NTSB records under N82W 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.