Bell 206 Safety Record

Complete NTSB accident and incident history. 1329 events recorded from 1982 to 2026.

1329

All Events

546

Incidents

242

Minor

192

Serious

317

Fatal (670 fatalities)
Date Location Reg# Severity Damage Probable Cause
Mar 02, 2011 Birmingham, AL N154MW Incident substantial A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Mar 01, 2011 Tooele, UT N206BY Incident substantial
The pilot did not maintain yaw control of the helicopter during a maneuvering hover. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of experience i…

The pilot did not maintain yaw control of the helicopter during a maneuvering hover. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s lack of experience in the make and model helicopter.
Feb 24, 2011 Ridgeland, SC N796M Incident substantial The certified flight instructor's delayed remedial action during a practice autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing.
Jan 15, 2011 Three Forks, MT N78BR Incident substantial The pilot’s inadequate use of throttle during the practice autorotation that resulted in a hard landing.
Jan 14, 2011 Ocho Rios, JM 6Y-JCA Incident substantial Investigation pending
Oct 14, 2010 Auburn, CA N2763M Incident substantial The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a transmission line during flight.
Aug 13, 2010 Rocky Mount, MO N54BE Incident substantial A dynamic rollover inadvertently induced by the pilot during landing.
Jul 26, 2010 Gulf of Mexico, LA N317RL Incident minor
The loss of main rotor rpm during takeoff for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not…

The loss of main rotor rpm during takeoff for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies.
Jul 24, 2010 Big Bear City, CA N788BD Incident substantial The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing approach.
Jul 23, 2010 New Hampton, IA N40TA Incident substantial The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from wires.
Jul 19, 2010 Roseville, PA N302MG Incident substantial The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a known wire hazard.
Jul 12, 2010 Gulf of Mexico, LA N523RL Incident minor
Improper reassembly of the collective flight controls by maintenance personnel. Contributing to the incident were inadequate postmaintenance examinati…

Improper reassembly of the collective flight controls by maintenance personnel. Contributing to the incident were inadequate postmaintenance examinations by maintenance personnel and inadequate preflight inspections by two pilots.
Jun 23, 2010 Rickreall, OR N3194G Incident substantial A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's failure to ensure that adequate fuel was aboard for the flight.
May 30, 2010 Memphis, TN N6401X Incident substantial The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate rotor rpm and the certificated flight instructor’s delayed remedial action, which resulted in a hard landing.
Jan 07, 2010 Kalispell, MT N127TP Incident substantial The pilot's failure to maintain lateral drift control during landing.
Nov 18, 2009 Lyons, OR N16869 Incident substantial
The pilot's inadvertent encounter with a vortex ring state (settling with power) condition while he was descending, and his improper initial remedial …

The pilot's inadvertent encounter with a vortex ring state (settling with power) condition while he was descending, and his improper initial remedial action.
Aug 26, 2009 White Plains, NY N22ZA Incident substantial The pilot's failure to disconnect the ground power unit prior to takeoff.
Aug 24, 2009 Gumboro Township, DE N98KR Incident substantial
The pilot’s failure to secure the flight controls before exiting the running helicopter. Contributing to the accident was the operator’s practice of e…

The pilot’s failure to secure the flight controls before exiting the running helicopter. Contributing to the accident was the operator’s practice of exiting the helicopter while it was still running.
Jul 11, 2009 Burlington, WA N302PD Incident substantial
The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the helicopter while attempting to lift off from a trailer. The helicopter subsequently impacted the groun…

The pilot’s failure to maintain control of the helicopter while attempting to lift off from a trailer. The helicopter subsequently impacted the ground and rolled over.
Jun 12, 2009 Justin, TX N43791 Incident substantial The instructor pilot's failure to add sufficient power early enough to compensate for the strong gusting headwinds.
Apr 17, 2009 West Palm Beach, FL N25PM Incident substantial The pilot’s failure to maintain aircraft control during taxi, which resulted in a dynamic rollover.
Apr 08, 2009 Vick, TX N295AE Incident minor Undetermined.
Mar 29, 2009 Abilene, TX N708M Incident minor
The formation and propagation of a fatigue crack in the trailing edge of the main rotor blade due to interconnected porosity and resultant corrosion. …

The formation and propagation of a fatigue crack in the trailing edge of the main rotor blade due to interconnected porosity and resultant corrosion. The area of interconnected porosity was due to a manufacturing defect which was not detected during the manufacturing process.
Mar 17, 2009 Springfield, IL N595AE Incident minor The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the parked helicopter.
Mar 04, 2009 St. Maarten, NT N83086 Incident substantial None.
Disclaimer: This data is sourced from the NTSB Aviation Accident Database. NTSB events reflect reported accidents and incidents and do not necessarily indicate a defect in the aircraft type. Many events involve pilot error, weather conditions, maintenance issues, or other factors unrelated to the aircraft design. This information is provided for research purposes only — consult official NTSB reports for complete details.
← Bell 206 For Sale All Bell Models
Data source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database · About our data