- Date
- October 16, 1983, 17:45 local (Oct 17, 1983, 01:45 UTC)
- Place
- Paxson, AK
- Injuries
- 1 minor, 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N215ALBell B-206B
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- Alaska Regional Office
- FAA report
- 19831016056899A
- Case key
- 4184
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the plt, he took off upslope into the wind in an easterly direction. Immediately after taking off, he made a right turn to a x-wind, & seconds later, he made a further turn the right (downwind). Visibility toward the east was about 1/4 mi, but to the west, the visibility was good. There was only 1 visual point on the horizon. The plt stated he began a climb for visual reference on the horizon, then noticed the helicopter was settling. The eng out/low RPM audio warning & light activated just before the helicopter impacted snow covered terrain in a level attitude while moving forward. A skid dug in & the helicopter went over on its top. Subsequently, the helicopter was covered with snow & was not recovered; therefore, the cause of the apparent power loss was not determined. The elevation of the crash site was about 6800 ft.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N215AL
- Reported as
- Bell B-206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 001041
- Airframe hours
- 10,181
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20, 400 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Air Logistics Of Ak Inc
- Registered owner
- Air Logistics Of Alaska
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · July 27, 1983
- Destination
- Fairbank, AK
- Flight plan
- Company VFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 35
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 3,505 total · 697 in this make and model · 3,249 as pilot in command · 160 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 150° at 10 knots
- Temperature
- 19 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.