Bell BH 206BII accident near Kremmling, Colorado, October 10, 1985
On October 10, 1985 at about 2:15 pm local time, a Bell BH 206BII (helicopter), registered N1959G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Kremmling, Colorado (Kremmling airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- October 10, 1985 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Kremmling, Colorado · Kremmling · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell BH 206BII
- Registration
- N1959G · no longer on the register · serial 725
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE MANEUVERING TO OBSERVE WILDLIFE, THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO HOVER OUT OF GND EFFECT IN STEEP MTNS TERRAIN AT 9800 FT MSL AT 2550 LBS GW WITH A 7-10KT TAILWIND. ACCORDING TO ACFT HOGE CHARTS IN THE POH, THE ACFT WAS NOT CAPABLE OF HOGE IN THE CONDITIONS OF ALT, GW, AND TAILWIND AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE ATTEMPT TO EXCEED THE ACFT CAPABILITIES RESULTED A RT SPIN FROM WHICH THE PILOT WAS NOT ABLE TO RECOVER DUE TO LOW ALT AGL. THE ACFT DESCENDED OUT OF CONTROL UNTIL IMPACT WITH TREES.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,475 hours in all; 88 in this make and model; 1,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,002 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, October 9, 1985; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Henderson CO at 1:00 pm
- Destination: 20V Kremmling CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from EGE, 34 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.