Bell 206B N20DB

Summary

On 31 October 1984 at about 07:41 local time, a Bell 206B registered N20DB was involved in an accident near Beaumont, California, United States. 3 people were on board and 2 died, one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.

Date

31 October 1984 at 07:41

Classification

Accident

Location

Beaumont, California, United States

Coordinates

33.9396, -116.9705

Aircraft

Bell 206B

Registration

N20DB

Category

Helicopter

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Banning → Santa Ana

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

Unk

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX85FA036

2 people 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

APPROXIMATELY ONE MIN BEFORE THE ACCIDENT THE PILOT CONTACTED THE TOWER AT NORTON AIR FORCE BASE FOR CLEARANCE THROUGH THEIR TRAFFIC AREA. HE REPORTED INITIALLY THAT HE WAS AT 300 FT AGL. SECONDS LATER HE TRANSMITTED THAT HE WAS AT 100 FT OVER THE FREEWAY. THE REQUEST WAS APPROVED AT OR BELOW 2700 FT MSL WHILE IN THE CONTROL ZONE. THE HELICOPTER FIRST CONTACTED WIRES AT 100 FT AGL. IT THEN DESCENDED INTO A SECOND WIRE AT 80 FT AND A GUY WIRE AT 60 FT. ELEVATION AT THE SIGHT WAS 2,400 FT MSL. THE SITE WAS ABOUT 11 MILES EAST OF NORTON AIR FORCE BASE IN UNCONTROLLED AIRSPACE. WX AT NORTON WAS SKY PARTLY OBSCURED, VISIBILITY 1.5 MILES IN FOG. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, AT THE REQUEST OF THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER THE PILOTS PLANNED ROUTE OF FLIGHT WAS CHANGED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS AWARE OF WIRES IN THE AREA AND HAD SLOWED TO 60 KTS AND TURNED THE LANDING LIGHT ON IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN HIS VISUAL LOOKOUT.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.