Bell 206L accident near Duluth, Georgia, May 20, 1985
On May 20, 1985 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Bell 206L (helicopter), registered N403DC, was destroyed in an accident near Duluth, Georgia. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people were killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- May 20, 1985 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Duluth, Georgia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L · all 206Ls on the register
- Registration
- N403DC · registry record · serial 45032
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER LOADING A SERIOUSLY BURNED PATIENT IN THE HELICOPTER, THE PLT STARTED THE ENG & LIFTED OFF FROM THE HOSPITAL PARKING LOT. IMMEDIATELY AFTER LIFT-OFF, HE STARTED FORWARD TRANSLATIONAL FLT. ABOUT 65 FT FROM THE LIFT-OFF POINT, AN ADVANCING MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRUCK AN UNMARKED LAMP POST. THE HELICOPTER THEN CRASHED IN THE PARKING LOT, JUST BEYOND THE LAMP POST. THE PLT & ONE MEDICAL ATTENDANT WERE FATALLY INJURED, THE OTHER MEDICAL ATTENDANT WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. REPORTEDLY, THE PATIENT DID NOT SUSTAIN ANY ADDITIONAL DISCERNIBLE INJURY FROM THE CRASH.
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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,121 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 16, 1985; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: PDK Chamblee GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 11 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:48 pm from PDK, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 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 N403DC 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.