# Accident 20120502009059A: Bell 206B, Valley Falls, KS, May 2, 2012

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 2, 2012, 09:45 local time
- Place: Valley Falls, KS
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.3399° N, 95.4606° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.3399&lon=-95.4606&mi=10
- Aircraft: N85RB, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N85RB) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 206B (registry code 1181511, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C20 (registry code 54178, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c20) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206B
- Reported engine: ROLLS-ROYC 250-C20
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 3
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 8,456 total, 2 in this make and model, 3 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN12LA267](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA267) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120502009059A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

AIRCRAFT DEPARTED LAWRENCE, KS WITH ONE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS ON BOARD FOR THE PURPOSE OF CONDUCTING PIPELINE PATROL OPERATIONS. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S STATEMENT, APPROXIMATELY 45 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT SLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO A HOVER AT APPROXIMATELY 100 TO 150 FEET AGL ON AN APPROXIMATE HEADING OF 240 DEGREES (REPORTED WIND WAS 190 @ 9 GUSTING TO 17 KNOTS). THE PILOT THEN INITIATED A RIGHT TURN AND BEGAN TO LOSE TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT AND OTHER WITNESSES, THE AIRCRAFT ROTATED TO THE RIGHT APPROXIMATELY 5 TURNS BEFORE IMPACTING A ROW OF TREES, EVENTUALLY COMING TO REST ON ITS LEFT SIDE AFTER IMPACTING TERRAIN NEAR A RAILROAD TRACK. THE AIRCRAFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WITH THE AIRCRAFT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN12LA267](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA267), May 2, 2012: Bell 206B (N85RB), Valley Falls, KS, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s inadequate compensation for the wind conditions during a hover maneuver, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.

## Other reports on N85RB (1)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20230611008069A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230611008069A), Jun 11, 2023: Bell 206B (N85RB), Pratt, KS, Substantial damage. Having completed first job, the pilot headed for peeryton (kpxy) for refuel. No fuel available. Next he headed to ashland, KS and to commanche co. (K38K) for…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.