Bell 206 B III N8163J

Summary

On 22 March 1983 at about 21:15 local time, a Bell 206 B III registered N8163J was involved in an accident near Salinas, California, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

22 March 1983 at 21:15

Classification

Accident

Location

Salinas, California, United States

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Bell 206 B III

Registration

N8163J

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX83FA154

1 person died.

The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.

Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.

Read the full NTSB narrative

PURPOSE OF FLT WAS TO TRANSPORT A TECHNICIAN & HIS EQUIPMENT TO A MOUNTAIN TOP TO SERVICE A MICROWAVE ANTENNA SITE. CLOUD COVERAGE PRECLUDED A LANDING AT THE SITE, BUT THE PLT WAS ABLE TO LAND IN A CLEARING ON THE EASTERN RIDGE LINE ABOUT 100 YDS BELOW THE SITE. THE PAX DEPLANED, & THE PLT STATED THAT IF THE WX IMPROVED HE WOULD FLY UP TO THE SITE. AS THE PAX ARRIVED AT THE SITE, HE HEARD THE HELICOPTER START ITS ENG & PROCEED TO FLY TOWARD HIS POSITION. IT HOVERED FOR A SHORT TIME, & THEN BEGAN DESCENDING TOWARD THE SW INTO A CLOUD COVER. ABOUT 20 SECS LATER HE HEARD THE CRASH. HE LOCATED THE CRASH SITE THROUGH THE DENSE CLOUD COVER BY SMELLING THE BURNING WRECKAGE. THE ACFT WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH A GYRO HORIZON OR INSTRUMENTED FOR IFR OPERATIONS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.