Bell 206B accident near Port O'Conner, Texas, October 23, 1985
On October 23, 1985 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N376EH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Port O'Conner, Texas. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 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
- October 23, 1985 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Port O'Conner, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N376EH · no longer on the register · serial 1436
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT ROLLED OVER AFTER A FORCED LNDG DUE TO LOSS OF POWER. THE ENG LOST ABOUT 60 PERCENT OF ITS POWER DURING CRUISE AT ABOUT 250 FT AGL. POST ACC INSPECTION SHOWED THAT FUEL LINE P/N 685481 B-NUT HAD BACKED OFF THE FUEL CONTROL END OF LINE 250C20 IPC. THE LAST MAJOR ENG MAINTENANCE WAS A TURBINE CHANGE ON 3/3/85. THE LAST HEAVY INSPECTION WAS ON 10-11-85. THE ACFT FLEW 47.5 HRS AFTER THAT INSPECTION BEFORE THIS FUEL LINE DISCONNECTION.
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
- Flight time: 2,769 hours in all; 452 in this make and model; 228 in the last 90 days; 2,707 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,320 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 11, 1985; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Era Helicopters, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Port O'Connor TX at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.