Bell 206B accident near Vallejo, California, October 26, 1991
On October 26, 1991 at about 4:56 am local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N3456M, was destroyed in an accident near Vallejo, California. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INTENTIONAL FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER, CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS, AND IMPROPER ALTITUDE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS LOW CEILINGS, POOR VISIBILITY, AND RESTRICTED VISUAL LOOKOUT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 26, 1991 · about 4:56 am local time
- Place
- Vallejo, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N3456M · registry record · serial 1391
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CERTIFICATED AIRLINE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS DEPARTED IN A HELICOPTER FOR THE PLANNED DESTINATION AIRPORT, LOCATED ABOUT 27 MILES NORTHWEST OF THE DEPARTURE POINT. THE PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING IN WHICH VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED DUE TO LOW CEILINGS AND LOW VISIBILITY. THE PILOT WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE GEOGRAPHIC AREA. THE PILOT RECEIVED A SPECIAL VFR CLEARANCE THROUGH AN AIRPORT TRAFFIC AREA, DEPARTING TO THE NORTHWEST. ABOUT 20 MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE POINT, WITNESSES OBSERVED THE HELICOPTER PARALLELING A HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 200 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND. THE WEATHER WAS REPORTED TO BE A 200 FOOT OVERCAST CEILING, GUSTY WINDS, HEAVY RAIN, AND VISIBILITY OF ABOUT 1/2 MILE. THE WITNESSES OBSERVED THE HELICOPTER STRIKE THE TOP OF A 223 FOOT HIGH TRANSMISSION TOWER AND EXPLODE. THE LOCATION OF THE TRANSMISSION LINE WAS MARKED ON THE AREA SECTIONAL CHART.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,541 hours in all; 301 in this make and model; 4,306 as pilot in command; 269 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,279 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 5, 1991; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Corporate Mobility, INC
The flight
- Departed from: Concord CA at 4:39 am
- Destination: O56 Novato CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 270° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.