- Date
- November 19, 1982, 14:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Port O'Connor, TX
- Injuries
- 3 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N16659Bell 206B
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 19, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19821119059309A
- Case key
- 72293
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
The pilot reported that when he took off at 1348 CST, the weather was 400 ft overcast, 2 to 5 mi visibility with rain. About 10 min later, he arrived at the Port O'Connor jetty and could see across matagorda bay to Port O'Connor. About halfway across the bay, severe turbulence and rain (associated with a thunderstorm) were encountered. The pilot made a 180 deg turn and attempted to proceed to a beach to land. At about 100 ft AGL, while on a landing approach, a severe downdraft was encountered. Full power was applied, but the descent continued and the helicopter impacted in the water in a near level attitude.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N16659
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2076
- Airframe hours
- 4,508
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20, 317 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Houston Helicopters Inc.
- Registered owner
- Houston Helicopters Inc.
- Departed
- Matagorda, TX
- Destination
- Amarillo, TX
- Flight plan
- 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
- 46
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Instrument ratings
- Helicopter
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Flight hours
- 6,972 total · 3,175 in this make and model · 6,492 as pilot in command · 83 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 30 knots
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 400 ft broken
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.