Bell 222UT accident near East Cameron, October 24, 1985
On October 24, 1985 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Bell 222UT (helicopter), registered N3194M, was destroyed in an accident near East Cameron (Block 215 Helipad airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people were killed and 7 people were seriously injured. 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 24, 1985 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- East Cameron · Block 215 Helipad
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 7 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 222UT · all 222UTs on the register
- Registration
- N3194M · no longer on the register · serial 47538
- 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
THREE PAX RPRTD THAT JUST PRIOR TO REACHING THE HELIPAD, THE HELICOPTER'S FORWARD MOVEMENT STOPPED AND THE HELICOPTER WOBBLED OR YAWED FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE PAX'S RPRTED THAT THE PILOT APPEARED TO BE TRYING TO GAIN ALTITUDE AND GO FORWARD WHEN THEY HEARD A LOUD NOISE. THE HELICOPTER THEN DROPPED IN A TAIL LOW ATTITUDE AND CRASHED INTO PRESSURIZED NATURAL GAS COMPONENTS. ESCAPING GAS IGNITED WHICH RESULTED IN AN INTENSE FIRE. AN EXAM REVEALED THAT TWO BLADES ON THE L ENG'S GAS PRODUCER TURBINE WHEEL HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE AND LODGED AGAINST THE PWR TURBINE NOZZLE VANES. AN INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENT PWR TO SUSTAIN FLT WITH THIS FAILURE. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THEENGINE HAD LOST POWER AT A CRITICAL POINT DURING THE APCH AND THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MANUEVER THE HELICOPTER ONTO THE HELIPAD. HOWEVER, THE TOE OF THE RIGHT SKID CONTACTED THE TUBULAR FRAME OF A HOTHE RGT SKID CONTACTED THE TUBULAR FRAME OF A HORIZONTAL SAFETY FENCE (AROUND THE HELIPAD). SUBSEQUENTLY, THE FENCE WAS BENT INWARD AND DOWNWARD BY THE AIRCRAFT.
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: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,867 hours in all; 317 in this make and model; 69 in the last 90 days; 6,154 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 123 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, October 22, 1985; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,250 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming LTS-101-750 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 2LA1 Intracoastl Cty LA at 2:25 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 9:50 am from LCH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 7 |
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.