Bell 2061-1 accident near Santa Barbara, California, January 3, 1985
On January 3, 1985 at about 3:40 pm local time, a Bell 2061-1 (helicopter), registered N2246Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Barbara, California. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 2 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
- January 3, 1985 · about 3:40 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Barbara, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 2061-1
- Registration
- N2246Q · no longer on the register · serial 45752
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF & DEPARTURE, THE HELICOPTER CLIMBED TO ABOUT 150 FT AGL & STARTED TO PROCEED OVER WATER. AS IT CROSSED OVER THE SHORELINE NEAR THE END OF THE RWY, THE ENG FLAMED OUT. THE PLT TURNED ABOUT 120 DEG BACK TOWARD A BEECH AREA & MADE AN AUTOROTATIVE LANDING ON SOFT, SANDY TERRAIN. THE HEICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN WITH A FORWARD SPEED OF 8 TO 10 KTS. AS THE SKIDS SANK IN THE SAND, THE PLT APPLIED AFT CYCLIC & THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE TAIL BOOM. AN EXAM OF THE ENG & FUEL SYS REVEALED NO REASON FOR THE POWER LOSS.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 10,207 hours in all; 1,054 in this make and model; 95 in the last 90 days; 9,310 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,062 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 13, 1984; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C28B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SBA at 3:38 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from SBA, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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 N2246Q 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.