Bell 206L-1 accident near South Marsh, July 21, 1985
On July 21, 1985 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Bell 206L-1 (helicopter), registered N5753D, was destroyed in an accident near South Marsh. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people had minor injuries. 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 21, 1985 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- South Marsh
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-1 · all 206L-1s on the register
- Registration
- N5753D · no longer on the register · serial 45529
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS INITIATING A TAKEOFF FROM A HOVER OFF AN OFFSHORE OIL RIG. AS HE LOWERED THE NOSE FOR TAKEOFF, HE HEARD A LOUD NOISE EMIT FROM THE TAILBOOM AREA & THE ACFT BEGAN ROTATING TO THE RIGHT. THE PLT CONTINUED TO APPLY PWR AND AUTOROTATED TO THE WATER. ON IMPACT, THE MAIN ROTOR STRUCK THE TAILBOOM AND SEVERED IT. THE AFT SECTION OF THE TAILBOOM AND THE TAIL ROTOR GEARBOX WERE NOT RECOVERED. INDICATIONS ARE THAT THE ACFT EXPERIENCED A MALFUNCTION IN THE TAIL ROTOR DRIVE SYSTEM.
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
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,107 hours in all; 1,707 in this make and model; 228 in the last 90 days; 3,354 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,941 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, July 7, 1985; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C28 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.