# Accident 20250701021329A: Bell 206B, Ridgely, MO, July 1, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 1, 2025, 08:45 local time
- Place: Ridgely, MO
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Operator: 377G
- Location: 39.4417° N, 94.6567° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.4417&lon=-94.6567&mi=10
- Aircraft: N16726, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N16726) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 206B (registry code 1181511, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rolls-Royce M250 series (registry code 54260, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-m250-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206B
- Reported engine: ROLLS-ROYC M250 SERIES
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 3,635 total, 17 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN25LA232](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA232) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250701021329A

## Narrative

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

ON JULY 1, 2025, PILOT PUSHED AIRCRAFT OUT OF HANGAR AND PERFORMED PREFLIGHT. PILOT WAS NOT ABLE TO PERFORM SUMP DUE TO SPRAY TANK INSTALLATION. TO THE KNOWLEDGE OF THE PILOT, THE AIRCRAFT HAD NOT BEEN FLOWN FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 DAYS. UPON START UP THERE WERE NO ISSUES. AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATED ON GROUND AT IDLE FOR 7 MINUTES WHILE AQUIRING GPS SIGNAL.  PILOT INCREASED TO FLIGHT IDLE FOR 2 TO 3 MINUTES AND GPS SIGNAL WAS AQUIRED. ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION OIL TEMPERATURE AND PRESSURES WERE IN NORMAL OPERATING RANGE. PILO T NOTED APPROXIMATELY 2 HOURS OF FUEL ONBOARD FOR A 45 MINUTE FLIGHT. 3/4 OF A MILE AFTER DEPARTURE, PILOT HEARD AN ENGINE SURGE. PILOT CHECKED RPMR WAS DROPPING. PILOT PULLED BACK ON THE CYCLIC AND LOWERED COLLECTIVE TO SEE IF HE COULD REGAIN RPMR. AIRCRAFT WAS BETWEEN 150-200 AGL AT 50 KTS THEN HEARD DISTINCT SOUND OF ENGINE SHUT DOWN. PILOT HEARD A LOUD BANG AND THE AIRCRAFT ROCKED VILOLENTLY THE NOSE TURNED FROM FACING SOUTH TO FACING EAST AND LANDED ON SKIDS STAYING UPRIGHT. PILOT ROLLED THROTTLE OFF, SHUT OFF FUEL SWITCH, SHUT OFF ALL OVERHEAD SWITCHES AND PULLED BOOST PUMP BREAKERS. PILOT NOTICED DAMAGE TO MAIN ROTOR BLADES BUT WERE STILL SPINNING.

## 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 CEN25LA232](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA232), Jul 1, 2025: Bell 206B (N16726), Edgerton, MO, substantial damage, investigation ongoing

## Other reports on N16726 (1)

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

- [Accident 19960206010299A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19960206010299A), Feb 6, 1996: Bell 206B (N16726), Barstow, CA, Substantial damage. Photo flight low and slow. Entered descending with power and impacted ground nose low. Too low slow and light wind.

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.