Bell 205 accident near San Clemente, Outside the U.S., March 24, 2011
On March 24, 2011 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Bell 205 (helicopter), registered CCCID, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering near San Clemente, Outside the U.S. (None airport). It was a firefighting flight under non-U.S. private rules. 1 person was killed and 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
- March 24, 2011 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- San Clemente, Chile · None · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 205 A1 · all 205s on the register
- Registration
- CCCID · no longer on the register · serial 30081
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Firefighting flight · non-U.S. private rules
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of tail rotor effectiveness during maneuvering defining event
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: San Clemente
- Destination: San Clemente
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 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.