Bell UH-1B accident near Valencia, California, July 23, 1982
On July 23, 1982 at about 9:20 am local time, a Bell UH-1B (helicopter), registered N87701, was substantially damaged in an accident near Valencia, California (Indian Dunes airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 6 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 23, 1982 · about 9:20 am local time
- Place
- Valencia, California · Indian Dunes · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 6 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell UH-1B · all UH-1Bs on the register
- Registration
- N87701 · no longer on the register · serial 1162
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACFT BEING USED TO FILM MOVIE SCENE DEPICTING ATTACK OF VILLAGE TYPICAL OF VILLGES IN VIET NAM. ACFT WAS ABOUT 25 FT AGL & ABOVE LOCATION WHERE SPECIAL EFFECTS EXPLOSIVES WERE DETONATED. AS THE PLT TURNED ACFT FOR CAMERA COVERAGE, ACFT'STAIL SECTION WAS ENGULFED IN FIREBALL CREATED BY SPECIAL EFFECTS EXPLOSION. T/R ASSEMBLY SEPARATED & ACFT DESCENDED OUT OF CONTROL. M/R BLADE STRUCK 3 ACTORS ON GROUND. THE BOARD DETERMINED THAT THE PROBABLE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT WAS THE DETONATION OF A DEBRIS-LADEN SPECIAL EFFECTS EXPLOSION TOO NEAR THE ACFT. THE PROXIMITY OF THE ACFT TO THE EXPLOSIONS WAS DUE TO THE FAILURE TO ESTABLISH DIRECT COMMUNICATIONS & COORDINATION BETWEEN THE PILOT, WHO WAS IN CHARGE OF THE ACFT OPERATION, & THE FILM DIRECTOR, WHO WAS IN CHARGE OF THE FILMING OPERATION.
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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,514 hours in all; 1,536 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 4,364 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,817 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 89 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,500 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming T53-L-11D (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Western Helicopters, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 4CA4 Valencia CA at 2:18 am
- Destination: 4CA4 Valencia CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: at 2 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 167°F (75°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.