Bell 206L-1 accident near Oakland, California, December 21, 1988
On December 21, 1988 at about 2:00 am local time, a Bell 206L-1 (helicopter), registered N1072S, was destroyed in an accident near Oakland, California. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOTS INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITITIONS FROM WHICH HE INADVERTENTLY DESCENDED INTO THE WATER AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN A WEATHER BRIEFING; LACK OF RECENT INSTRUMENT FLYING EXPERIENCE; OVERCONFIDENT IN HIS OWN ABILITY TO CONDUCT A SAFE FLIGHT IN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 21, 1988 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Oakland, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-1 · all 206L-1s on the register
- Registration
- N1072S · no longer on the register · serial 45326
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DESCENDED INTO THE SAN FRANCISCO BAY AREA WHILE ON A NIGHT VISUAL FLIGHT FROM OAKLAND TO SAN FRANCISCO. THE WEATHER WAS INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITH VISIBILITY BETWEEN ONE TO FOUR MILES WITH MODERATE RAIN SHOWERS AND FOG. PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO RADIO SAN FRANCISCO TOWER BUT WAS ADVISED HE WAS STILL BROADCASTING ON THE OAKLAND TOWER FREQUENCY. THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED THE ADVICE AND WAS NOT HEARD FROM AGAIN. THE AIRCRAFT WAS RECOVERED FROM THE BAY AFTER EXPOSURE TO SALT WATER. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE PLT WAS NOT FOUND. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PILOT HAD LITTLE RECENT INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.
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; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,370 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,244 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 4,050 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison C28B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OAK at 2:00 am
- Destination: Hunter'S Point CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 220° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,600 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:45 am from OAK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 N1072S 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.