Bell 204B accident near Entiat, Washington, September 10, 1988
On September 10, 1988 at about 2:10 am local time, a Bell 204B (helicopter), registered CFAHY, was destroyed in an accident near Entiat, Washington. It was an other work-use flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). 2 people were killed. 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
- September 10, 1988 · about 2:10 am local time
- Place
- Entiat, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 204B · all 204Bs on the register
- Registration
- CFAHY · no longer on the register · serial 2069
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS ON CONTRACT TO STATE OF WA AND WORKING TO SUPPRESS A FOREST FIRE USING A WATER BUCKET SUSPENDED ON A LONG LINE. THE ACFT HAD REFUELED AT A TEMPORARY HELIPORT AT ENTIAT, WA AND WAS ENROUTE TO THE WORK AREA 15 NM SW OF ENTIAT BUT DID NOT ARRIVE AT THE AREA. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED ON THE EASTERN SLOPE OF STEEP MOUNTAINS. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF INFLT MAIN ROTOR MAST FRACTURE AND ACFT BREAK-UP. WX DATA INDICATED STRONG GUSTY NW WINDS AND MOUNTAIN WAVE CONDITIONS IN THE AREA. EVIDENCE INDICATED THAT THE COPILOT WAS AT THE CONTROLS. THIS WAS THE COPILOTS FIRST FLT IN THE BH-204 AND HIS FIRST FLT FOR THIS COMPANY.
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: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,850 hours in all; 1,446 in this make and model; 162 in the last 90 days; 87 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,885 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, September 8, 1988; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,500 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming T53-13B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Entiat WA at 1:57 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 18 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:45 am from EAT, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.