Bell 206L-1 accident near West Palm Bch, Florida, September 4, 1984
On September 4, 1984 at about 4:32 pm local time, a Bell 206L-1 (helicopter), registered N29GW, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Palm Bch, Florida (West Palm Beach airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 1984 · about 4:32 pm local time
- Place
- West Palm Bch, Florida · West Palm Beach · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-1 · all 206L-1s on the register
- Registration
- N29GW · registry record · serial 45550
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT HE HAD FLOWN THE ACFT FROM ONE FIXED BASE OPERATOR ON THE ARPT TO ANOTHER TO POSITION THE ACFT. HE STATED THAT HE PUT FRICTION ON THE CYCLIC CONTROL BUT NOT THE COLLECTIVE CONTROL, REDUCED THROTTLE TO FLT IDLE, AND EXITED THE ACFT. HE WAS WALKING TO THE HANGAR TO GET A PORTABLE LANDING DOLLY WHEN HE SAW THE ROTOR DISC TILTED FWD AND THE ACFT SHAKING; HE RAN AWAY, THE ACFT ROLLED OVER.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 22,587 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 20,992 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 651 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 4, 1984; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Detr. Diesel 250-C28B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:32 pm from PBI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA84LA248.