Bell 206BIII accident near Crockett, California, January 11, 1992
On January 11, 1992 at about 9:26 pm local time, a Bell 206BIII (helicopter), registered N95AT, was destroyed in an accident near Crockett, California. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN VIGILANT WATCH FOR OBSTRUCTIONS WHILE INTENTIONALLY CRUISING SLOWLY AT A LOW ALTITUDE. A FACTOR WAS THE POWER LINE WAS SUPPORTED BY DISTANT TOWERS, AND THE LINE WAS NOT CONSPICUOUS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 11, 1992 · about 9:26 pm local time
- Place
- Crockett, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206BIII · all 206BIIIs on the register
- Registration
- N95AT · registry record · serial 3295
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD BEEN HIRED TO PROVIDE AN AIRLIFT FOR 4 PASSENGERS TO ASSIST THEM IN SURVEYING THE STRAIT FOR AN OIL SPILL.THE PILOT WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE AREA WHICH WAS LOCATED NEAR HIS HOME BASE ARPT. ON A CLEAR DAY, WHILE IN SLOW CRUISE FLT ABOUT 210 FEET AGL, THE PLT COLLIDED NEARLY PERPENDICULAR WITH A POWER LINE. THE LINE WAS DEPICTED ON THE AERONAUTICAL CHART. THE HELICOPTER ENTERED AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT AND CRASHED INTO THE UNDERLYING STRAIT. AN FAA INSPECTOR WHO FLEW THE SAME ROUTE AS THE ACCIDENT PLT REPORTED THAT THE POWER LINE WAS DIFFICULT TO OBSERVE UNITL HE WAS WITHIN 1000 FT OF IT. THE INSPECTOR INDICATED THAT THE LACK OF CONSPICUITY MAY BE RELATED TO THE FACT THAT THE TOWERS FROM WHICH THE LINE HAD BEEN SUSPENDED ACROSS THE STRAIT WERE LOCATED 4426 FEET APART.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,712 hours in all; 1,350 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 2,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,178 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 27, 1991; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Martinez CA at 9:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX92FA088.