Bell 206B accident near Riverside, California, October 10, 1984
On October 10, 1984 at about 5:22 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N3U, was destroyed in an accident near Riverside, California. It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. 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
- October 10, 1984 · about 5:22 pm local time
- Place
- Riverside, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N3U · no longer on the register · serial 2863
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT DEPARTED FULLERTON, CA (ELEV 96') AT O958 PDT ON A FLT TO BIG BEAR, CA (ELEV 6750'). THERE WAS NO RECORD OF THE PLT OBTAINING A WX BRIEFING. AT APRX 1015, A WITNESS HEARD THE HELICOPTER CIRCLING ABOVE THE BOTTOM OF 'AN EARLY MORNING FOG HANGING OVER THE GROUND AT APRX 300 FT.' AFTER CIRCLING ABOUT 3 TO 5 MIN, THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO FLY SOUTH WHEN IT SUDDENLY WAS OBSERVED FLYING OUT OF THE FOG AT A STEEP ANGLE TOWARD THE GROUND. IT WAS ANGLED NOSE DOWN WITH A SLIGHT ROLL TO THE LEFT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE HELICOPTER CRASHED IN A TAIL LOW, LEFT BANK ATTITUDE. THE ENG WAS REPORTED TO BE OPERATING AT A HI POWER SETTING UNTIL THE HELICPOTER CRASHED & BURNED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF LOW ROTOR RPM, THAT THE CYCLIC CONTROL WAS FULL AFT & THAT THE COLLECTIVE WAS FULL DOWN AT IMPACT. APRX 4 MI EAST, THE 1019 WX WAS, IN PART: SKY PARTIALLY OBSCURED, 1000' OVERCAST, VISIBILITY 3/4 MI WITH FOG.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,445 hours in all; 2,650 in this make and model; 111 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 798 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, June 29, 1984; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Uco Air
The flight
- Departed from: FUL Fullerton CA at 4:58 pm
- Destination: L35 Big Bear City CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 2 knots
- Sky: overcast
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:19 pm, 4 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.