Bell 206B accident near Inverness, California, November 10, 1984
On November 10, 1984, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N2917W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Inverness, California. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. 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
- November 10, 1984
- Place
- Inverness, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2917W · no longer on the register · serial 806
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AN AUTOROTATION WAS INITIATED AT ABOUT 300 FT AS ENG AND ROTOR RPM BEGAN TO DECREASE. TOUCHDOWN OCCURRED IN SOFT SAND WITH SOME FORWARD MOTION. FULL AFT CYCLIC WAS APPLIED CAUSING THE MAIN ROTOR TO CONTACT THE TAILBOOM. EXAM OF THE ACFT FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED APRX 2/3 QUART OF WATER IN THE FUEL FILTER AND A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF WATER IN THE FUEL PUMP. ABOUT 1/2 GAL OF WATER WAS CONTAINED IN THE FUEL DRUM FROM WHCH THE HELICOPTER HAD JUST BEEN SERVICED.
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: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,021 hours in all; 2,855 in this make and model; 240 in the last 90 days; 5,519 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,106 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 1, 1984; 93 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: Inverness CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 225° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 4:00 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 N2917W 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.