Bell 206B accident near Cathlamet, Washington, February 3, 1994
On February 3, 1994 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N43823, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cathlamet, Washington. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOAD JETTISON WAS NOT PERFORMED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 3, 1994 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cathlamet, Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N43823 · no longer on the register · serial 4235
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A LONG LINE OPERATION THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE THE BUCKET WAS BEING FILLED WITH FERTILIZER IT BEGAN TO SWING. THE BUCKET CAUGHT ON THE LOADING TRUCK AND THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL AND SUBSEQUENTLY THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 950 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 654 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 4, 1994; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,351 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20J (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Reforestation Services INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.