Bell 206-B accident near Fort Worth, Texas, May 31, 1985
On May 31, 1985 at about 9:05 pm local time, a Bell 206-B (helicopter), registered N1072Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Worth, Texas (Helidyne airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 1985 · about 9:05 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Worth, Texas · Helidyne · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206-B · all 206-Bs on the register
- Registration
- N1072Y · registry record · serial 2873
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS TAKING OFF ON A TEST FLT TO DETERMINE THE AFT C.G. LIMITS IN CONJUNCTION WITH AN STC MODIFICATION. AS THE ACFT WAS LIFTED OFF IN A FRONT SKIDS HIGH ATTITUDE, IT ENTERED AN UNCOMMANDED RIGHT ROLL. FULL LEFT CYCLIC WOULD NOT STOP THE ROLL AND THE ACFT ROLLED OVER. GUSTY WINDS AND MECHANICAL TURBULENCE FROM NEARBY BLDG'S CONTRIBUTED TO THE DYNAMIC ROLLOVER.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,500 hours in all; 231 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Heli-Dyne Systems, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 17TA at 9:05 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 18,000 ft
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:54 pm from FTW, 20 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW85LA241.