Bell BH-206-B accident near Valdez, Alaska, April 19, 1985
On April 19, 1985 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Bell BH-206-B (helicopter), registered N385EH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Valdez, Alaska (Valdez airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 19, 1985 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Valdez, Alaska · Valdez · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell BH-206-B
- Registration
- N385EH · no longer on the register · serial 1674
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT IN COMMAND STATED THAT HE WAS ON FINAL APPROACH AND AT 125 FEET AGL, HE HEARD THE LOW RPM AUDIO WARNING AND HE IMMEDIATELY ENTERED AN AUTOROTATION BY LOWERING THE COLLECTIVE TO THE FULL DOWN POSITION AND CLOSING THE THROTTLE TO THE FLIGHT IDLE POSITION. HE COMPLETED AN AUTOROTATIONAL LANDING AND HE STATED HIS TOUCHDOWN SPEED WAS TOO FAST, SO HE APPLIED AFT CYCLIC TO STOP THE AIRCRAFT.
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; instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,250 hours in all; 1,306 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,766 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 3, 1984; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Thompson Pass AK at 7:30 pm
- Destination: VDZ Valdez AK
- Runway 12, 12 ft by 12 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 pm from VDZ
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.
Other NTSB records under N385EH the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.