Bell UH-1B accident near Salinas, California, April 29, 1984
On April 29, 1984 at about 2:44 pm local time, a Bell UH-1B (helicopter), registered N57HP, was destroyed in an accident near Salinas, 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
- April 29, 1984 · about 2:44 pm local time
- Place
- Salinas, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell UH-1B · all UH-1Bs on the register
- Registration
- N57HP · registry record · serial 61-687
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE SPRAYING A FIELD OF ARTICHOKES, THE PLT HAD MADE 1 PASS SOUTHBOUND & STARTED ANOTHER NORTHBOUND. HE BEGAN THE SWATH RUN BY DESCENDING OVER POWER LINES, THEN TRIED TO CLIMB & CLEAR RISING TERRAIN BEYOND THE LINES. HOWEVER, THE HELICOPTER CONTINUED SETTLING & IMPACTED THE RISING TERRAIN.
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: 6,130 hours in all; 131 in this make and model; 115 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 6,031 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,806 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 28, 1984; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,200 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming T5311 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Salinas CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:44 am
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 N57HP 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.