Mbb BO-105C accident near Peterson, Alabama, June 2, 1986
On June 2, 1986 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Mbb BO-105C (helicopter), registered N114BH, was destroyed in an accident near Peterson, Alabama. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 3 people were killed. 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 2, 1986 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Peterson, Alabama
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mbb BO-105C
- Registration
- N114BH · no longer on the register · serial S-114
- 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
THE EMS HELICOPTER WAS HEARD AND OBSERVED AS IT FLEW AT LOW ALTITUDE DOWN THE RIVER. A WITNESS SAW IT DIP DOWN THEN ATTEMPT TO CLIMB JUST PRIOR TO THE COLLISION WITH POWER LINES ACROSS THE RIVER. THE HELICOPTER BROKE THE WIRES BUT WAS STOPPED AND CAME APART AS IT FELL INTO THE RIVER. THE SUN WAS LOW ON THE HORIZON AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING GENERALLY SOUTHWEST. THE COLLISION OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 2500 FEET BELOW THE MAXIMUM ELEVATION FIGURES FOR TERRAIN AND OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE QUADRANGLE THE AIRCRAFT WAS FLYING THROUGH. REPORTEDLY LOW LEVEL FLIGHTS HAD BEEN PERFORMED ON PREVIOUS OCCASIONS AND HAD BEEN DESCRIBED AS FUN BY ONE OF THE PASSENGERS.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,519 hours in all; 302 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,420 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 25, 1986; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,071 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BHM Birmingham AL at 10:40 pm
- Destination: Jackson MS
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from TCL, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.