Bell 206B accident near Boulder City, Nevada, August 7, 1989
On August 7, 1989 at about 1:45 am local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N9916K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Boulder City, Nevada. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT DISPLAYED POOR INFLIGHT PLANNING WHILE MANEUVERING. THE PILOT DID NOT IDENTIFY THE WIND CONDITIONS RESULTING IN A LOSS OF DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. THE PILOT'S CORRECTIVE ACTION WAS INADEQUATE AND AS RESULT, THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 1989 · about 1:45 am local time
- Place
- Boulder City, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N9916K · no longer on the register · serial 1939
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A SIGHTSEEING FLIGHT, THE PILOT DESCENDED THE HELICOPTER TO A LOW ALTITUDE AND DECREASED AIRSPEED. THE PILOT THEN REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER LOST TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS AND BEGAN TO SPIN. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER PRIOR TO IT TOUCHING DOWN HARD. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS WITH THE HELICOPTER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
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: 2,200 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 104 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 1,745 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAS Las Vegas NV
- Destination: LAS Las Vegas NV
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 25 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.