Bell 206B accident near Georgetown, Delaware, May 20, 1984
On May 20, 1984 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N75SP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Georgetown, Delaware (Sussex County airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- May 20, 1984 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Georgetown, Delaware · Sussex County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N75SP · no longer on the register · serial 1716
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER PERFORMING POLICE PATROL ACTIVITIES, THE AIRCREW LANDED, REFUELED THE HELICOPTER, THEN TOOK OFF TO PRACTICE AUTOROTATIVE LANDINGS. TWO AUTOROTATIVE LANDINGS WERE MADE ON RWY 22, THEN 2 MORE WERE MADE ON AN ADJACENT GRASS AREA. AFTER THE 2ND LANDING ON THE GRASS, THE PLT STARTED TO TAKE OFF AGAIN. HE STATED THE HELICOPTER WAS TRAVELING LEVEL ALONG THE GROUND WITH VERY LITTLE WEIGHT ON THE SKIDS AT A SPEED OF 5 TO 10 MPH. HE THEN SAW A DRAINAGE DITCH, SURROUNDED BY HI GRASS, ABOUT 10 FT AHEAD. HE APPLIED POWER & INCREASED THE COLLECTIVE TO CLEAR THE DITCH. REPORTEDLY, THE SOUNDS OF THE ENG INCREASED; HOWEVER, THE HELICOPTER STARTED TO ROLL & YAW TO THE RIGHT. ALSO, THE POWER WAS REPORTEDLY REDUCED TO CORRECT THE YAW, BUT THE HELICOPTER'S RIGHT SKID CONTACTED THE TURF, THE ACFT ROLLED TO THE RIGHT & THE MAIN ROTORS CONTACTED THE GROUND. AN EXAM OF THE ENG & AIRFRAME WERE MADE, BUT NO PRE-CRASH, MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,534 hours in all; 919 in this make and model; 95 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 1,312 as pilot in command; 129 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 4, 1984; 56 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; not recorded at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from SBY, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.