Bell 206BIII accident near Yerington, Nevada, January 13, 1985
On January 13, 1985 at about 5:10 pm local time, a Bell 206BIII (helicopter), registered N3185Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Yerington, Nevada. It was a business flight 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
- January 13, 1985 · about 5:10 pm local time
- Place
- Yerington, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206BIII · all 206BIIIs on the register
- Registration
- N3185Z · no longer on the register · serial 3804
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT MADE AN EN ROUTE EMERGENCY LANDING DUE TO DETERIORATED WX. AFTER WAITING SOME PERIOD OF TIME, A TAKEOFF WAS ATTEMPTED BUT THE HELICOPTER WAS UNABLE TO BECOME AIRBORNE. THE HELICOPTER BOUNCED DOWN HILLY TERRAIN AND ROLLED OVER TO THE LEFT. WX AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT CONSISTED OF FREEZING TEMPS, FOG AND SNOW GRAINS. THE HELICOPTER WAS FOUND TO BE LOADED OVER THE MAX GROSS WEIGHT WHICH COMBINED WITH ICE ON THE ROTOR BLADES AND IN THE AIR INTAKE RESULTED IN A REDUCED POWER OUTPUT DURING THE ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model; 4,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 314 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 29, 1984; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20J (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RNO Reno NV at 4:25 pm
- Destination: 043 Ione NV
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft
- Temperature: 14°F (-10°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from RNO, 26 miles away
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.