Bell 206B accident near Hayward, California, January 13, 1993
On January 13, 1993 at about 4:23 am local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N3202A, was destroyed in an accident near Hayward, California. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE DARK NIGHT LIGHT CONDITIONS AND RAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 13, 1993 · about 4:23 am local time
- Place
- Hayward, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N3202A · registry record · serial 962
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A NIGHT CFR PART 135 CARGO FLIGHT, THE CERTIFICATED COMMERCIAL HELICOPTER PILOT AND A CREW MEMBER RECEIVED COMPANY INSTRUCTIONS TO DIVERT FROM THE INTENDED ROUTE OF FLIGHT TO ANOTHER DESTINATION. THE WEATHER CONDITIONS IN THE AREA INCLUDED AREAS OF LOW CEILINGS AND REDUCED VISIBILITY DUE TO RAIN. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO CROSS A COASTAL BAY IN A WESTERLY DIRECTION IN AN AREA OF LIMITED VISUAL CUES AND DECIDED TO REVERSE HIS COURSE. THE PILOT CONTINUED SOUTH AND AGAIN ATTEMPTED TO CROSS THE BAY NEAR A BRIDGE THAT SPANNED THE BAY. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE HELICOPTER DESCENDING BELOW THE LEVEL OF THE BRIDGE WHERE VISIBILITY WAS ABOUT 1/4 MILE IN RAIN. THE HELICOPTER STRUCK THE WATER ABOUT 1/2 MILE FROM THE SHORE AND ABOUT 400 YARDS SOUTH OF THE BRIDGE AND WAS DESTROYED. THE PILOT HAD OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING THAT INCLUDED AREAS OF MARGINAL VFR DUE TO RAIN AND FOG, THUNDERSTORMS, AND SEVERAL AIRMETS AND SIGMETS.
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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,925 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 142 in the last 90 days; 61 in the last 30 days; 3,900 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,490 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 5, 1992; 57 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250C-20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Helinet CORP.
The flight
- Departed from: 056 Novato CA at 3:45 am
- Destination: SFO San Francisco CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 050° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft; not recorded at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:46 am from HWD, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.