Bell BH206L-1 accident near Hurst, Texas, December 20, 1985
On December 20, 1985 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Bell BH206L-1 (helicopter), registered N1069Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hurst, Texas (East Bell Practice airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- December 20, 1985 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hurst, Texas · East Bell Practice · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell BH206L-1
- Registration
- N1069Q · no longer on the register · serial 45341
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR PLT WAS DEMONSTRATING AN AUTOROTATION FROM THE 'TOP OF THE HEIGHT-VELOCITY' CURVE. THE CFI ZEROED THE AIRSPEED AND ENTERED THE AUTOROTATION AT AN ALT OF APRX 400 FT AGL. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN HARD, SPREADING THE SKIDS, SEVERING THE TAIL BOOM AND DAMAGING THE ROTOR BLADES.
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: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,683 hours in all; 6,556 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 9,458 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,347 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 1, 1985; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C23 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Runway 35, 2,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N1069Q the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.