Bell B206BII accident near Lake Powell, Utah, July 26, 1993
On July 26, 1993 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Bell B206BII (helicopter), registered N502AH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lake Powell, Utah. It was a business 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
A POWER LOSS FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. FACTORS INCLUDE LANDING IN WATER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 1993 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Powell, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell B206BII
- Registration
- N502AH · no longer on the register · serial 533
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OF THE HELICOPTER WAS MAKING A LOW-LEVEL PASS OVER A JET SKI FOR THE PURPOSE OF COMMERCIAL FILMING WHEN HE INITIATED A RIGHT-HAND CLIMBING TURN. DURING THE TURN, THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER, AND THE PILOT FOUND IT NECESSARY TO EXECUTE AN AUTOROTATION INTO THE LAKE ON WHICH THE JET SKI WAS MANEUVERING. AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE AND FUEL CONTROL SYSTEM DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY PRE-IMPACT FAILURES OR ANOMALIES.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,876 hours in all; 1,212 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 7,600 as pilot in command; 1,238 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,037 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 7, 1993; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PGA Page AZ at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°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.