Bell 206L-1 accident near Ghent, West Virginia, June 21, 1985
On June 21, 1985 at about 10:10 pm local time, a Bell 206L-1 (helicopter), registered N27716, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ghent, West Virginia. It was an executive or corporate 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
- June 21, 1985 · about 10:10 pm local time
- Place
- Ghent, West Virginia · 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
- N27716 · no longer on the register · serial 45293
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT TOOK OFF AT 1805 WITH 150 LBS OF FUEL REMAINING, INTENDING TO FLY TO BECKLEY, WV TO REFUEL. HE STATED THAT AFTERHE WAS IN LVL FLT AT ABOUT 3000 FT MSL FOR 3 TO 4 MIN, HE NOTED AN UNUSUAL JERK OR VIBRATION IN THE REAR. SUSPECTING A PSBL TAIL ROTOR PROBLEM, HE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE & TURNED TOWARD AN OPEN AREA. HE THEN NOTED THAT THE ENG HAD LOST POWER. DRG AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING, THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN HARD WITHOUT ENOUGH RPM TO CUSHION THE LNDG. AN EXAM OF THE FUEL SYS REVEALED THERE WAS ABOUT 20 GAL OF FUEL REMAINING. THE ENG & FUEL PUMPS OPERATED NORMALLY WHEN TESTED. HOWEVER, FURTHER CHECKS REVEALED THAT WHEN FUEL IN THE AFT TANK WAS BELOW THE STAND PIPE, FUEL WOULD LEAK TO THE FRONT TANK; ALSO, THERE WAS VIRTUALLY NO INDUCED FLOW IN THE LEFT TRANSFER SYS. DISASSEMBLY REVEALED THE STANDPIPE IN THE AFT TANK WAS NOT PROPERLY ALIGNED, THUS THE O-RING WAS NOT PROPERLY SEATED, WHICH ALLOWED A LEAK. A PIECE OF MASKING TAPE WAS FND IN THE INLET TO THE LEFT TRANSFER PUMP. AS THE FRONT TANK APCHD EMPTY (DRG OPN) AIR WAS ENTRAINED IN THE FUEL.
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; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,857 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 135 in the last 90 days; 1,396 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 27,496 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 29, 1985; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,050 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C28B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Odd WV at 10:05 pm
- Destination: BKW Beckley WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,500 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from BKW, 10 miles away
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.