Bell 214B-1 accident near Quincy, California, February 14, 1982
On February 14, 1982 at about 3:40 pm local time, a Bell 214B-1 (helicopter), registered N2240H, was destroyed in an accident near Quincy, California. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). 1 person was killed and 1 person was 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
- February 14, 1982 · about 3:40 pm local time
- Place
- Quincy, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 214B-1 · all 214B-1s on the register
- Registration
- N2240H · registry record · serial 28033
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS MOVING LOGS DURING AN EXTERNAL LOAD OPERATION IN A MOUNTAINOUS, BURNED OUT, WOODED AREA. THE ELEVATION WAS ABOUT 4500 FT. LOGGING CREWS OBSERVED THE HELICOPTER APPROACH THE "LOG LANDING AREA" WHILE HAULING A LOAD OF LOGS WITH A 160 FT CABLE. THEY REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER WAS COMING IN FOR ANOTHER "TURN OF THE LOGS" (A DROP). THE DIRECTOR OF MAINTENANCE STATED THIS WAS THE PILOT'S FIFTH "TURN" WITH THIS HOOK AND LINE ASSEMBLY. A WITNESS REPORTED THE HELICOPTER TAIL BOOM DROPPED DOWNWARD AFTER TURN OF THE LOGS, VEERED TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT ERRATICALLY, YAWED LEFT, AND CRASHED. ONE WITNESS STATED IN PART "THE TURN HIT THE LANDING AND I CONCENTRATED ON THE CHOKERS THE LOADER HAD. THEN I SAW THE TURN OF LOGS JUMP 20 - 30 FT ACROSS THE LANDING." DURING THE CRASH, THE HELICOPTER STRUCK TREES, IMPACTEDTHE GROUND, AND BURNED. ALL INSTRUMENTS AND CONTROLS WERE DESTROYED BY FIRE. THE 160 FT CABLE AND SHOCK ABSORBER UNIT WERE RELEASED BEFORE GROUND IMPACT. AN OPERATIONAL CHECK OF THE RELEASE HOOK WAS NORMAL.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,524 hours in all; 1,524 in this make and model; 137 in the last 90 days; 10,383 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,072 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,200 lb
- Seats: 16
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming T5508D (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Paramount Heli. INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Quincy CA at 7:35 am
- Destination: Quincy CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 122°F (50°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.
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.