Aerospatiale SA316B accident near Silver Springs, Florida, June 13, 1985
On June 13, 1985 at about 4:26 am local time, a Aerospatiale SA316B (helicopter), registered N49550, was substantially damaged in an accident near Silver Springs, Florida. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 13, 1985 · about 4:26 am local time
- Place
- Silver Springs, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale SA316B
- Registration
- N49550 · no longer on the register · serial 2271
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT OF THE HELICOPTER ON AN ON DEMAND AIR TAXI MEDEVAC FLT ENCOUNTERED DETERIORATING WX CONDITIONS AND ATTMEPTED TO MAINTAIN VFR FLT IN IMC CONDITIONS. HE DESCENDED AND STRUCK A TREE CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. HE THEN MADE A FORCED LANDING AND THE MEDEVAC PATIENT WAS TRANSPORTED BY GROUND VEHICLE.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,861 hours in all; 324 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 2,468 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,409 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,960 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Turbomeca ARTOUSTE IIIB (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Spring Hill FL at 3:45 pm
- Destination: Gainesville FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; not recorded at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 am from GVN, 26 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 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.