Bell 206B accident near Long Beach, California, September 17, 1984
On September 17, 1984 at about 10:50 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N7111J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Long Beach, California (Long Beach airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- September 17, 1984 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Long Beach, California · Long Beach · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N7111J · no longer on the register · serial 669
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS DURING FLARE FOR LANDING. THE PLT PULLED COLLECTIVE TO SOFTEN THE TOUCHDOWN FROM 30 FTAGL BUT THE LANDING WAS HARD. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE SHOWED A FAILURE OF THE #1 TURBINE DISC. LAB EXAM OF THE DISC SHOWED FAILURE FROM OVERHEATING AND FATIGUE. AN AD WAS IN EXISTANCE WITH THE PURPOSE OF PREVENTIG AFTER FIRES FROM INCOMPLETE FUEL CUT OFF DURING ENGINE SHUTDOWN BY ADJUSTING THE FUEL CONTROL QUADRANT TO READ MINUS 2 DEGREESWITH THE THROTTLE AGAINST THE MINIMUM STOP. INVESTIGATION SHOWED THE FUEL CONTROL QUADRANT ON THE ACCIDENT ACFT READ '0'DEGREES WITH THE THROTTLE LEVER AGAINST THE MINIMUM STOP.
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: 7,975 hours in all; 2,502 in this make and model; 140 in the last 90 days; 7,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,451 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 8, 1984; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Permian Aviation INC
The flight
- Departed from: San Pedro CA at 10:45 pm
- Destination: LGB
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 14 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:52 pm from LGB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.