Aerospatiale AS35OD accident near Dallas, Texas, June 26, 1985
On June 26, 1985 at about 4:40 pm local time, a Aerospatiale AS35OD (helicopter), registered N148BH, was destroyed in an accident near Dallas, Texas. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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 26, 1985 · about 4:40 pm local time
- Place
- Dallas, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale AS35OD
- Registration
- N148BH · registry record · serial 1274
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ENG TO TRANSMISSION SHORT SHAFT BECAME DISCONNECTED IN FLT. THIS RESULTED IN COMPLETE LOSS OF PWR TO THE MAIN ROTOR ASSEMBLY. HOWEVER, THE TAIL ROTOR ASSEMBLY WAS STILL BEING POWERED BY THE ENG. UPON COLLECTIVE PITCH APPLICATION TO STOP THE DESCENT THE ACFT YAWED ABOUT 90 DEGS TO THE RIGHT AND ALSO ROLLED ABOUT 70 DEGS TO THE RIGHT AND IMPACTED THE TRUNK OF A LARGE TREE. THIS IMPACT RESULTED IN DISINTEGRATION OF THE HELICOPTER. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT COTTER PINS HAD NOT BEEN INSTALLED IN THE BOLTS WHICH CONNECT THE FORWARD END OF THE SHORT SHAFT TO THE FLEXIBLE COUPLING AT THE TRANSMISSION. IT ALSO REVEALED THAT A REQUIRED 30 HR RECURRING INSPECTION HAD NOT BEEN COMPLETED AND WAS 15.9 HRS OVERDUE. THE COMPLETION OF THIS REQUIRED INSPECTION WOULD HAVE REVEALED THAT THE COTTER PINS WERE MISSING.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,044 hours in all; 166 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,256 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 25, 1985; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,190 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming LTS-101-600A2 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DAL Dallas TX at 4:30 pm
- Destination: Lancaster TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:47 pm from DAL, 16 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.