Bell 206B accident near Beaumont, California, October 31, 1984
On October 31, 1984 at about 7:41 am local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N20DB, was destroyed in an accident near Beaumont, California. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
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 31, 1984 · about 7:41 am local time
- Place
- Beaumont, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N20DB · registry record · serial 937
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
APPROXIMATELY ONE MIN BEFORE THE ACCIDENT THE PILOT CONTACTED THE TOWER AT NORTON AIR FORCE BASE FOR CLEARANCE THROUGH THEIR TRAFFIC AREA. HE REPORTED INITIALLY THAT HE WAS AT 300 FT AGL. SECONDS LATER HE TRANSMITTED THAT HE WAS AT 100 FT OVER THE FREEWAY. THE REQUEST WAS APPROVED AT OR BELOW 2700 FT MSL WHILE IN THE CONTROL ZONE. THE HELICOPTER FIRST CONTACTED WIRES AT 100 FT AGL. IT THEN DESCENDED INTO A SECOND WIRE AT 80 FT AND A GUY WIRE AT 60 FT. ELEVATION AT THE SIGHT WAS 2,400 FT MSL. THE SITE WAS ABOUT 11 MILES EAST OF NORTON AIR FORCE BASE IN UNCONTROLLED AIRSPACE. WX AT NORTON WAS SKY PARTLY OBSCURED, VISIBILITY 1.5 MILES IN FOG. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, AT THE REQUEST OF THE FRONT SEAT PASSENGER THE PILOTS PLANNED ROUTE OF FLIGHT WAS CHANGED. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS AWARE OF WIRES IN THE AREA AND HAD SLOWED TO 60 KTS AND TURNED THE LANDING LIGHT ON IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN HIS VISUAL LOOKOUT.
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; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,625 hours in all; 193 in this make and model; 81 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,580 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 13, 1984; 77 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Banning CA at 7:30 am
- Destination: SNA Santa Ana CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 am from SBD, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.