Bell 206B accident near Dallas, Texas, July 24, 1984
On July 24, 1984 at about 4:50 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N16981, was destroyed in an accident near Dallas, Texas. It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 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
- July 24, 1984 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Dallas, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N16981 · registry record · serial 2347
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES OBSERVED THE HELICOPTER CIRCLING A 523 FT, FREE STANDING, COMMUNICATIONS TOWER. AFTER CIRCLING SEVERAL TIMES, HELICOPTER PASSED CLOSE TO THE TOWER & A MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRUCK IT AT THE 451 FT LEVEL. THE OUTBOARD PORTION OF THE ROTOR BLADE SEPARATED AS WELL AS SOME PORTIONS OF THE TOWER, INCLUDING A X-BRACE. THE HELICOPTER THEN SPUN & TUMBLED TO THE GROUND. IT IMPACTED IN A NOSE-LOW, INVERTED ATTITUDE & BURNED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.
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: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,689 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,109 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Detr. Diesel 250-C-20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: RBD Dallas TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from DAL, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.