Bell 206-B accident near Sloan, Nevada, May 9, 1987
On May 9, 1987 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Bell 206-B (helicopter), registered N3187D, was destroyed in an accident near Sloan, Nevada. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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
- May 9, 1987 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sloan, Nevada
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206-B · all 206-Bs on the register
- Registration
- N3187D · no longer on the register · serial 1326
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CLIMBING AT A SLOW AIRSPEED AT A LOW ALTITUDE ABOVE THE GROUND DURING STRONG GUSTING WIND CONDITIONS, THE PILOT INITIATED A RIGHT TURN AND ENCOUNTERED AN UNCOMMANDED RIGHT YAW. THE AIRCRAFT COMPLETED SEVERAL RIGHT SPINNING TURNS, IMPACTED THE GROUND, AND ROLLED ONTO 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: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all; 1,650 in this make and model; 124 in the last 90 days; 1,280 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,434 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 1, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Allison 250C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Jetcopters II, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: LAS Las Vegas NV at 7:30 pm
- Destination: Sloan NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 30 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.