Bell 214B-1 accident near Squaw Valley, California, June 20, 1985
On June 20, 1985, a Bell 214B-1 (helicopter), registered N214RM, was destroyed in an accident near Squaw Valley, California. It was a business flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 20, 1985
- Place
- Squaw Valley, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 214B-1 · all 214B-1s on the register
- Registration
- N214RM · registry record · serial 28001
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER WAS ENGAGED IN LOWERING A LARGE POLE TO THE GROUND WHEN THE ENG FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY DUE TO A TOTAL FIRST TURBINE ROTOR DISC FAILURE. THE PLT TURNED THE ACFT DOWN THE MOUNTAIN BUT WAS UNABLE TO GAIN ENOUGH SPEED TO AUTOROTATE. THE ACFT IMPACTED AT AN ANGLE AND BURNED. NO PARTS OF THE FIRST TURBINE ROTOR DISC WERE RECOVERED, THEREFORE, A FAILURE MODE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. THE DISC HAD ACCUMULATED 2776 CYCLES AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. LYCOMING SERVICE BULLETIN NO. 5508-0002 REPORTS THE SERVICE LIFE LIMIT FOR THE DISC IS 2700 CYCLES. AN ENG TEARDOWN REVEALED NOTHING ELSE WRONG WITH THE ENG THAT COULD HAVE CONTRIBUTED TO ITS FAILURE OTHER THAN THE FIRST TURBINE ROTOR DISC DISINTEGRATION.
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: 12,247 hours in all; 3,047 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,455 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 17, 1985; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,200 lb
- Seats: 14
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming T5508D (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: RLA Squaw Valley CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:45 pm from TVL, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N214RM the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX85FA286.