Bell 206L-1 accident near Irvine, California, September 20, 1995
On September 20, 1995 at about 5:38 am local time, a Bell 206L-1 (helicopter), registered N700TH, was destroyed in an accident near Irvine, California. It was a positioning 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
the pilot's intentional VFR flight into IMC conditions and failure to maintain an adequate terrain clearance altitude, and the local controller's improper use of ATC procedure/technique. Factors in the accident were the helicopter's low fuel state and lack of the required equipment for IFR flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 20, 1995 · about 5:38 am local time
- Place
- Irvine, California
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-1 · all 206L-1s on the register
- Registration
- N700TH · no longer on the register · serial 45466
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was flying the prototype 2-engine Bell 206L1 back to base from a series of demonstration flights. En route he obtained the current destination weather and forecast conditions from Flight Watch. The current weather was given as 800 scattered with 6 miles, and the forecast called for clear conditions until 2300, followed by 800 overcast with 3 miles. As the flight neared the accident site the pilot was over a broken to overcast layer. Calculations showed the helicopter had about 43 minutes of fuel remaining at that point. The pilot contacted the MCAS El Toro air traffic control tower about 10 miles east at 2,000 feet msl. He told the military controller, 'I need to look for a hole', and the controller provided a suggested heading . Shortly thereafter, the pilot inquired 'Is it o.k. to descend here?' The controller stated 'Just fine, descend right there sir.' The pilot asked the controller what his minimum altitude was at this location and was advised to standby. That was the last communication received from the helicopter. The helicopter was certified for instrument flight.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,200 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 3,100 as pilot in command; 2,900 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,733 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 2, 1995; 56 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20R (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Helistream INC.
The flight
- Departed from: SAN San Diego CA at 4:30 am
- Destination: SNA Orange County CA
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 220° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; scat at 500 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 am from NZJ, 5 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.