Amateur-built SCORPION TOO accident near Beckwourth, California, June 2, 1994
On June 2, 1994 at about 8:00 pm local time, a amateur-built SCORPION TOO (helicopter), registered N288JS, was destroyed in an accident near Beckwourth, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the failure of the tail rotor 'V' drive belt for undetermined reasons and the subsequent failure and separation of the tail rotor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 2, 1994 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Beckwourth, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SCORPION TOO SCORPION T
- Registration
- N288JS · no longer on the register · serial SH-1
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Ground witnesses reported that the helicopter was cruising about 200 feet agl when popping sounds were heard. Parts then came off the helicopter and it descended rapidly to impact. Witnesses on the airport indicated this was the third flight of the day and that the builder/pilot may have been performing test flights. An FAA inspector reported that the tail rotor assembly was found about 90 yards from the main wreckage along with portions of a 'V' drive belt used to power the tail rotor. Color transfers similar to the drive belt material were found on the blades. The mode of belt failure was not determined. FAA records show the pilot held a private pilot certificate with an airplane single-engine land rating and did not hold a rotorcraft category rating. No evidence was found of a solo endorsement for helicopters. The last medical certificate issued to the pilot was dated March 8, 1988. No information was available concerning the last maintenance inspection.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 66 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None (expired)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 66 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotorway RW-133 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: O02 at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:45 pm from TRK, 16 miles away
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.