Bell 206B accident near Paso Robles, California, September 20, 1984
On September 20, 1984 at about 4:25 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N2246W, was destroyed in an accident near Paso Robles, California (Paso Robles airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 20, 1984 · about 4:25 pm local time
- Place
- Paso Robles, California · Paso Robles · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2246W · no longer on the register · serial 472
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT STATED THAT AFTER RECEIVING A SPECIAL VFR CLEARENCE HE TOOK OFF TO SPRAY A NEARBY FIELD. HE CONTINUED TO STATE THAT HE 'MADE A COUPLE OF CIRCUITS OVER THE FIELD, OBSERVED THE TELEPHONE WIRES AND BEGAN SPRAYING. AFTER PERFORMING 2 OR 3 PASSES I HIT SOME TELEPHONE WIRES.' THE PLT ALSO STATED THAT THE WIRE MAY NOT HAVE BEEN CLEARLY VISIBLE BECAUSE THE GRAY OVERCAST MADE THE GRAY POLES AND WIRES DISAPPEAR.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,797 hours in all; 812 in this make and model; 145 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,900 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 17, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Paso Robles CA at 3:58 pm
- Destination: Paso Robles CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft; not recorded at 400 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 pm from PRB, 5 miles away
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.