Bell 206L-1 accident near Chamblee, Georgia, January 2, 1982
On January 2, 1982 at about 11:37 pm local time, a Bell 206L-1 (helicopter), registered N5745Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chamblee, Georgia. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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
- January 2, 1982 · about 11:37 pm local time
- Place
- Chamblee, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-1 · all 206L-1s on the register
- Registration
- N5745Y · registry record · serial 45531
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE RETURNING TO REFUEL FROM AN AIR AMBULANCE FLIGHT THE HELICOPTER YAWED LEFT AND N2 DROPPED TO ABOUT 92% APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE FROM THE AIRPORT. AT 30-50 FEET WITH AIRSPEED AT ABOUT 20 KNOTS THE AIRCRAFT YAWED VIOLENTLY TO THE LEFT WITH CORRESPONDING DROPS IN N2 TO 55-60% THEN SURGED BACK TO 102-105%. THE PILOT ENTERED AUTOROTATION AND TOUCHED DOWN HARD 300 YARDS SHORT OF HIS INTENDED LANDING POINT. DETROIT DIESEL ALLISON COMMERCIAL ENGINE BULLETIN(CEB) A-73-2020 DATED 9/7/81 & REVISED 10/5/81 ADVOCATES DISARMING THE N2(ELECTRONIC) OVERSPEED CONTROL SYSTEM BECAUSE OF REPORTED INTERMITTENT AND SPURIOUS ACTIVATION OF THAT SYSTEM. THE SYSTEM WAS ONLY PARTIALLY DEACTIVATED IN COMPLIANCE WITH BELL ALERT SERVICE BULLETIN(ASB) 206L-81-24 DATED 9/11/81 DUE TO THE OPERATOR'S MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL REPORTING THAT THEY HAD NOT RECEIVED THE REFERENCED CEB AS OF THE DATE OF THE ACCIDENT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,060 hours in all; 326 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 641 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 76 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C28B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Decatur GA at 6:30 pm
- Destination: Lydia SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 5,001 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 120°F (49°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:38 pm from PDK
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 N5745Y 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.