Bell 206B accident near Twin Peaks, California, July 11, 1992
On July 11, 1992 at about 3:07 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N59484, was destroyed in an accident near Twin Peaks, California. It was a personal 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
WAS THE PILOT'S DECISION TO INITIATE THE FLIGHT IN KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER AND CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE LOW CLOUDS AND FOG.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 1992 · about 3:07 pm local time
- Place
- Twin Peaks, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N59484 · no longer on the register · serial 1264
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE DEPARTING ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT THE PILOT CALLED HIS FRIEND AND CANCELLED A PREVIOUSLY SCHEDULED FLIGHT FOR HIS FRIEND'S SON STATING THAT IT WAS TOO FOGGY. ABOUT 30 MINUTES LATER THE PILOT DEPARTED THE MOUNTAINOUS AREA HELIPAD ON THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT. THERE WERE NO EYEWITNESS. THE CARETAKER OF THE HELIPAD AREA REPORTED THAT THE HELICOPTER FLEW IN A NORTHERLY DIRECTION AND THAT THE PREVAILING FOG/LOW CLOUDS CONDITIONS WERE INTERMITTENT AT THE TIME OF DEPARTURE. ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER GROUND WITNESSES HEARD THE HELICOPTER PASS OVER THE CONDOMINIUM COMPLEX IN A SOUTHEASTERLY DIRECTION AND MOMENTS LATER THEY REPORTED HEARING A SUDDEN LOUD NOISE. THE WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE CEILING WAS ABOUT 50 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND AND THAT THE HIGHER ELEVATION TREE TOPS WERE OBSCURED BY THE CLOUDS. THE HELICOPTER STRUCK THE TREES SOUTH OF THE CONDOMINIUM COMPLEX AND CONTINUED IN A SOUTHEASTERLY DIRECTION UNTIL STRIKING THE SOUTHSIDE OF THE COMPLEX. A 6-FT BY 2-FT DIAMETER SECTION OF THE TREE WAS SEVERED BY THE HELICOPTER'S MAIN ROTOR BLADE AND PENETRATED THE CONDOMINIUM COMPLEX ROOF AND FRONT GLASS WINDOW. THE TREE SECTION CAME TO REST ABOUT 250 FEET BEYOND THE TREE IMPACT AREA IN THE STREET.
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: private
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 185 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 95 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,981 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 29, 1992; 59 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: Rim Forest CA at 3:01 pm
- Destination: UDD Bermuda Dunes CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded at 50 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°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.