Bell 204B accident near Keller, Washington, September 12, 1990
On September 12, 1990, a Bell 204B (helicopter), registered CGKQH, was destroyed in an accident near Keller, Washington. It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO TURBINE BLADE SEPARATION WHILE THE PILOT WAS OPERATING IN THE AIRCRAFT AT A GROSS WEIGHT THAT EXCEEDED PERFORMANCE SPECIFICATIONS FOR EXISTING METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS INCLUDE THE FAILURE OR INABILITY TO JETTISON THE EXTERNAL LOAD, THE USE OF AN IMPROPER CINCH STRAP, AND AN IMPROPERLY ASSEMBLED AND MAINTAINED WIRING CONNECTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 12, 1990
- Place
- Keller, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 204B · all 204Bs on the register
- Registration
- CGKQH · no longer on the register · serial 2006
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING FIRE FIGHTING MULTIPLE WATER DROPS USING AN EXTERNAL LOAD 'BAMBI BUCKET'. EARLY THAT DAY THE BUCKET'S CINCH STRAP HAD BEEN REPLACED. ON THIS DROP THE PILOT RADIOED THAT HE WAS HEAVY...3600 POUNDS. A PUFF OF SMOKE WAS OBSERVED, AND THE HELICOPTER CRASHED. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT A LOSS OF POWER HAD OCCURRED DUE TO THE LOSS OF ALL 2ND TURBINE ROTOR BLADES, PRECIPITATED BY A STRESS RUPTURE FAILURE OF 3 CONSECUTIVE BLADES INDUCED BY HIGH OPERATING TEMPERATURES. THE CINCH STRAP WAS BOUGHT AT A HARDWARE OR SPORTING GOODS STORE - IT WAS NOT THAT PROVIDED BY THE MANUFACTURER. DISASSEMBLY OF THE BUCKET CONTROL HEAD WIRING ASSEMBLY REVEALED EVIDENCE TO SUPPORT INTERMITTENT OPERATION.
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
- Flight time: 6,682 hours in all; 1,900 in this make and model; 182 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 6,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 18,980 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 24, 1990; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,500 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming T53-11A (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Cazn-Arc Helicopters, LTD
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 225° at 5 knots, gusting 9
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
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.