Bell 204 accident near Delano, California, July 18, 1982
On July 18, 1982 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Bell 204 (helicopter), registered N910PD, was destroyed in an accident near Delano, California. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- July 18, 1982 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Delano, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 204 · all 204s on the register
- Registration
- N910PD · no longer on the register · serial 62-1954
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS SPRAYING FOR MEDITERRANEAN FRUIT FLIES WITH ANOTHER ACFT. ENTERING A "SCISSORS" OR OPPOSITE DIRECTION PATTERN WITH THE SECOND HELICOPTER SPRAYING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION, THE PLT HAD TO SLOW DOWN IN ORDER TO BEGIN HIS SWATH AT THE COMPLETION OF THE OTHER'S RUN. FURTHER REDUCING SPEED TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE, THE PLT LOST TRANSLATIONAL LIFT IN THE PREVAILING TAILWIND. INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE REMAINED TO RECOVER HIS LOSS OF RPM & THE ACFT SETTLED INTO THE TREES.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,150 hours in all; 1,260 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 2,265 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,839 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,500 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming T53-11D (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: 7CA0 Berrenda Mesa CA at 1:25 pm
- Destination: 7CA0 Berrenda Mesa CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 315° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 223°F (106°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N910PD 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.