Bell UH-1B accident near Delano, California, October 28, 1982
On October 28, 1982 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Bell UH-1B (helicopter), registered N15FC, was destroyed in an accident near Delano, California. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person 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
- October 28, 1982 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Delano, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell UH-1B · all UH-1Bs on the register
- Registration
- N15FC · no longer on the register · serial 358
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS MAKING A HELICOPTER SPRAY RUN AND DECENDED INTO TREES ON TH IRST PASS AFTER RELOADING. HE GOT A LOW RPM LIGHT IN A REDUCED POWER SITUATION. NO MALFUNCTIONS WERE FOUND. THE PILOT HAD MADE 34 SIMILIAR OPERATIONS DURING THIS SCHEDULE.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,446 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 191 in the last 90 days; 4,993 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,965 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,482 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming T53L11D (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DLO Delano CA at 3:40 pm
- Destination: DLO Delano CA
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 135°F (57°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.
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.