Bell 206L-1 accident near Lafayette, Louisiana, January 22, 1985
On January 22, 1985 at about 8:45 pm local time, a Bell 206L-1 (helicopter), registered N2762X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lafayette, Louisiana (Lafayette Regional airport). It was a ferry 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
- January 22, 1985 · about 8:45 pm local time
- Place
- Lafayette, Louisiana · Lafayette Regional · 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
- N2762X · no longer on the register · serial 45345
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT DEPARTED AT 2040 CST AS A FLT OF 2 ON A FERRY FLT. SHORTLY AFTER LEVEL-OFF AT 700 FT AND POWER STABILIZED AT 72% TORQUE THE ENGINE FAILED AND THE ACFT YAWED LEFT AND RIGHT. AN AUTORATION WAS INITIATED INTO A SOFT PLOWED FIELD WITH A SLIGHT DOWN-SLOPE. UPON TOUCHDOWN, ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE NOSE ROCKED FORWARD AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE STRUCK AND SEVERED THE TAILBOOM AT THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER. ENGINE DISASSEMBLY REVEALED FAILURE OF THE NUMBER 2 BEARING FOR UNKNOWN SPECIFIC CAUSE. BEARING FAILURE ALLOWED THE COMPRESSOR IMPELLER TO MOVE FORWARD AND MAKE CONTACT WITH THE COMPRESSOR SHROUD HOUSING INNER DIAMETER.
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: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,478 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 2,448 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,241 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 1, 1984; 77 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C288 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LFT Lafayette LA at 8:40 pm
- Destination: BTR Baton Rouge LA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from LFT, 3 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.