- Date
- June 14, 1985, 14:40 local (18:40 UTC)
- Place
- West Palm Beach, FL
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N156LBell 206BN159LBell 206B
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA reports
- 19850614025371A19850614025372A
- Case key
- 31414
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Two helicopters had just completed a mail delivery operation as a flt of two. N159L had landed and the plt left the eng running so as to let the eng operting temp stabilize. N156L approached in a ground hover and collided with N159L. The two plts received minor injuries. The plt of N156L stated a gust of wind blew him into N159L. The winds at the time of the accident were from 140 degs at 6 KTS with no gusts reported.
Two helicopters had just completed a mail delivery operation as a flt of two. N159L had landed and the plt left the eng running so as to let the eng operating temp stabilize. N156L approached in a ground hover & collided with N159L. The twoplt's received minor injuries. The plt of N156L stated a gust of wind blew him into N159L. The winds at the time of the accident were from 140 degs at 6 KTS with no gusts reported.
Aircraft · 2
- Registration
- N156L
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2706
- Airframe hours
- 1,768
- Engine
- Allison C-20B, 400 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Air Coastal Helicopter,Inc.
- Registered owner
- Horizon Air Services, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 5, 1984 · 64 hours before
- Departed
- BCT · Boca Raton, FL
- Destination
- PBI · West Palm Bch, FL
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
- Registration
- N159L
- Reported as
- Bell 206B
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 2464
- Airframe hours
- 1,618
- Engine
- Allison C-20B, 400 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Air Coastal Helicopters,Inc.
- Registered owner
- Horizon Air Services, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 10, 1985 · 12 hours before
- Departed
- BCT · Boca Raton, FL
- Destination
- PBI · West Palm Bch, FL
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N156L
- Age
- 37
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 4,302 total · 400 in this make and model · 4,202 as pilot in command · 107 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot, aircraft N159L
- Age
- 33
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Flight hours
- 1,180 total · 918 in this make and model · 1,078 as pilot in command · 70 in the last 90 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 140° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 25,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- PBI
FAA reports on this event · 2
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.