Bell UH-1B accident near Saint James, Louisiana, August 8, 1985
On August 8, 1985 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Bell UH-1B (helicopter), registered N1385W, was destroyed in an accident near Saint James, Louisiana. It was an other work-use flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). 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
- August 8, 1985 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Saint James, Louisiana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell UH-1B · all UH-1Bs on the register
- Registration
- N1385W · no longer on the register · serial 62-2072
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACFT WAS AT A 150' HOVER PREPARING TO PICK UP A LOG WHEN IT EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS. WITNESSES STATED THAT THEY HEARD A LOUD 'BANG' AND THE PILOT RADIOED 'GET OUT OF THE WAY'. ACFT AUTOROTATED THRU 60' TO 80' TREES WITH VERY LOW ROTOR RPM AND IMPACTED WITH NO HORZ SPEED AND HIGH VERTICAL SPEED. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT ENG HAD EXPERIENCED SEVERE INTERNAL DAMAGE. FOUR COMPRESSOR BLADES FROM THE 4TH STAGE ROTOR WERE FOUND TO HAVE SUFFERED PROGRESSIVE FATIGUE FAILURE, WHICH IN TURN CAUSED THE REMAINDER OF THE BLADES ON THE 4TH AND 5TH STAGES TO SEPARATE LEADING TO AN ENG SURGE AND LOSS OF POWER. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED IN A FLT REGIME FROM WHICH THE PLT COULD NOT AFFECT A RECOVERY FROM THE ENG FAILURE.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,763 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 6, 1985; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming T53-11D (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Skyline Air Service, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.