Bell 206L-1 and Bell 206L-1 mid-air collision near San Pedro, California, December 1, 1985
On December 1, 1985, 2 aircraft, Bell 206L-1 (N3913Z) and Bell 206L-1 (N5759Y), were involved in a mid-air collision near San Pedro, California (San Pedro Helistop airport). 1 person was killed, 4 people were seriously injured and 7 people had minor injuries. 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
- December 1, 1985
- Place
- San Pedro, California · San Pedro Helistop
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed, 4 people were seriously injured and 7 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Bell 206L-1 · all 206L-1s on the register
- Registration
- N3913Z · no longer on the register · serial 45650
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
- Aircraft 2
- Bell 206L-1 · all 206L-1s on the register
- Registration
- N5759Y · no longer on the register · serial 45563
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative for the Bell 206L-1 final · quoted from the NTSB record
TWO BELL 206'S (N3913Z OPRD BY HELITRANS, N5759Y OPRD BY ISLAND EXPRESS) DEPTD AVALON 2 MIN APART ON FLTS TO SAN PEDRO. ARR ROUTE AT DESTN WAS OVR A RVR WITH ANGLING FNL APCH ARND A FLOATING RESTAURANT (FR). HELIPORT (HP) WAS IN CONGESTED AREA NR BRIDGE, BLDG, BOAT DOCK. EACH PLT MADE REQD RDO CALL ON UNICOM FREQ, 2.5 MI OUT; CHNGD TO 123.30 MHZ BTN RVR MOUTH & HP TO CHK ON FLYING AT ANOTHER OPR'S LOCATION; CHNGD BACK TO UNICOM; EXCEPT PLT OF N5759Y ALSO CHKD IN ON HIS COFREQ. AS 1ST FLT (N3913Z) ARR, BOAT WAS DOCKING; PLT MADE GO-ARND, BUT DIDN'T MAKE RDO CALL. AS N3913Z WAS ON 2ND APCH, N5759Y CONVERGED FM DRCTN OF SETTING SUN IN L TURN ARND FR & ACFT COLLIDED. NEITHER PLT CALLED FNL APCH. N5759Y CRASHED IN WTR; N3913Z HIT EDGE OF HP, ROLLED OVR. PAX IN N5759Y HAD PRBLM EGRESSING; INADEQ BRIEFING BFR FLT. HP OWNER (LA PORTAUTHORITY) DIDN'T PROVIDE RSTRCTNS OF OPRG PERMITS TO OPRS. OPRS DIDN'T ABIDE BY HP OWNER'S 5 MIN SEPN RULE. MIN OVRSGHTBY FAA & CA DEPT OF AERONAUTICS. PLT OF N3913Z LACKED 10 HRS OF REQD TRNG. THE HP WAS CERTIFIED FOR SEAPLANE OPN.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Bell 206L-1 final · quoted from the NTSB record
TWO BELL 206L'S (N3913Z OPRD BY HELITRANS, N5759Y OPRD BY ISLAND EXPRESS) DEPTD AVALON 2 MIN APART ON FLTS TO SAN PEDRO.ARR ROUTE AT DESTN WAS OVR A RVR WITH ANGLING FNL ACPH ARND A FLOATING RESTAURANT (FR). HELIPORT (HP) WAS IN CONGESTED AREA NR BRIDGE, BLDG, BOAT DOCK. EACH PLT MADE REQD RDO CALL ON UNICOM FREQ, 2.5 MI OUT; CHNGD TO 123.30 MHZ BTN RVR MOUTH & HP TO CHK ON FLYING AT ANOTHER OPR'S LOCATION; CHNGD BACK TO UNICOM; EXCEPT PLT OF N5759Y ALSO CHKD IN ON HIS COFREQ. AS 1ST FLT (N3913Z) ARR, BOAT WAS DOCKING, PLT MADE GO-ARND, BUT DIDN'T MAKE RDO CALL. AS N3913Z WAS ON 2ND APCH, N5759Y CONVERGED FM DRCTN OF SETTING SUN IN L TURN ARND FR & ACFT COLLIDED. NEITHER PLT CALLED FNL APCH. N5759Y CRASHED IN WTR; N3913Z HIT EDGE OF HP, ROLLED OVR. PAX IN N5759Y HAD PRBLM EGRESSING; INADEQ BRIEFING BFR FLT. HP OWNER (LA PORTAUTHORITY) DIDN'T PROVIDE RSTRCTNS OF OPRG PERMITS TO OPRS. OPRS DIDN'T ABIDE BY HP OWNER'S 5 MIN SEPN RULE. MIN OVRSGHTBY FAA & CA DEPT OF AERONAUTICS. PLT OF 3913Z LACKED 10 HRS OF REQD TRNG. THE HP WAS CERTIFIED FOR SEAPLANE OPN.
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 for the Bell 206L-1 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: gyroplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,578 hours in all; 996 in this make and model; 241 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days; 4,433 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,741 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 15, 1985; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C28B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Helitrans, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: L11 Avalon CA
- Destination: 6CA3
- Runway 0, 140 ft by 90 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:48 pm from LGB, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 | 3 |
The factual record for the Bell 206L-1 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,600 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 4,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,479 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 30, 1985; 79 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C28B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Island Express, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: L11 Avalon CA
- Runway 0, 140 ft by 90 ft
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.
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.