Bell 206L-1 accident near Prestonburg, Kentucky, April 16, 1985
On April 16, 1985 at about 7:40 pm local time, a Bell 206L-1 (helicopter), registered N773WW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Prestonburg, Kentucky. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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 16, 1985 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Prestonburg, Kentucky · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-1 · all 206L-1s on the register
- Registration
- N773WW · no longer on the register · serial 45744
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PAX DEPLANED & THE PLT TOOK OFF ON A SHORT FLT TO A NEARBY ARPT TO REFUEL. AFTER CLIMBING FOR ABOUT 30 TO 40 SEC & ACCELERATING TO APRX 100 KTS, THE PLT STARTED TO ADJUST THE PWR FOR LVL FLT. AT ABOUT THAT TIME, THE ENG LOST PWR. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO RESTORE ENG PWR, BUT WAS UNABLE. HE TURNED TO LAND IN A LARGE FIELD THAT HE HAD JUST OVERFLOWN. DRGAN AUTOROTATION, THE ENG STABILIZED AT IDLE RPM, BUT WOULD NOT RESPOND TO THROTTLE MOVEMENTS. THE PLT SAW POWER LINES IN HIS AUTOROTATION PATH & ELECTED TO CROSS OVER A CREEK & A ROW OF TREES & LAND IN ANOTHER FIELD. HOWEVER, THE HELI- COPTER HAD INSUFFICIENT ALT TO CLEAR THE TREES. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT HIT THE TREES & CRASH LANDED ON A CREEK BANK. AFTER LANDING, THE ENG WAS STILL RUNNING & WAS SHUT DOWN BY USING THE FUEL SHUT-OFF SW. THE AFT FUEL CELL WAS PUNCTURED DRG IMPACT; THEREFORE, THE AMOUNT OF FUEL ON BOARD COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE ENG OPERATED DRG A POST-CRASH CHECK, BUT IMPACT DAMAGE PREVENTED OPERATING IT AT HIGH RPM. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS VERIFIED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,433 hours in all; 121 in this make and model; 93 in the last 90 days; 5,028 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,837 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 28, 1985; 882 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,050 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C28B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 316
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 225° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.