Bell 206A accident near Sarasota, Florida, August 14, 1985
On August 14, 1985 at about 9:48 pm local time, a Bell 206A (helicopter), registered N7882S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sarasota, Florida (Sarasota airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- August 14, 1985 · about 9:48 pm local time
- Place
- Sarasota, Florida · Sarasota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206A · all 206As on the register
- Registration
- N7882S · no longer on the register · serial 069
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE HELICOPTER PLT LANDED THE HELICOPTER ON A WOOD DECKED LANDING DOLLY. AFTER LANDING HE REDUCED THE COLLECTIVE PITCH CONTROL FULL DOWN AND REDUCED THE THROTTLE TO IDLE. AT THE TIME OF LANDING THE WIND WAS ON THE NOSE OF THE ACFT. SHORTLYAFTER LANDING THE WIND SHIFTED TO THE LEFT AND INCREASED IN INTENSITY. THE ACFT THEN YAWED TO THE LEFT AND ROLLED OVER OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DOLLY.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,300 hours in all; 260 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 1,405 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,601 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 1, 1985; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C18 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SRQ Sarasota FL at 8:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:48 pm from SRQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.