Bell 206B accident near Murrieta, California, September 6, 1989
On September 6, 1989 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N111JG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Murrieta, California (French Valley airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO CONTAMINATES IN THE FUEL CONTROL UNIT. THE ORIGIN OF THE CONTAMINATES WAS NOT DETERMINED. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: THE HELICOPTER WAS NOT EQUIPPED WITH FLOATS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 6, 1989 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Murrieta, California · French Valley
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N111JG · no longer on the register · serial 1115
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER COMPLETING AN EXTERNAL LOAD AERIAL SPRAYING APPLICATION OVER A LAKE THE HELICOPTER SUSTAINED A PARTIAL LOSS OF POWER AND A DECAYING LOSS OF ROTOR RPM. THE PLT TURNED TOWARD THE SHORELINE AND EXECUTED AN AUTOROTATION BUT ITS ALTITUDE (150 FT AGL) WAS INSUFFICIENT TO NEGOTIATE THE SHORE. THE WRECKAGE EXAM DSCLSD THAT THE FUEL CONTROL UNIT CONTAINED CONTAMINATES.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,100 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,516 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 21, 1990; 15 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: Lake Skinner at 6:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.