# Incident 20250928012199I: Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1, Tusayan, AZ, September 28, 2025

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 28, 2025, 14:15 local time
- Place: Tusayan, AZ
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: PG9A
- Location: 35.9550° N, 112.1202° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Tusayan, AZ, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.9550&lon=-112.1202&mi=10
- Aircraft: N178PA, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N178PA) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1 (registry code 1182107, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-helicopter-textron-206l-1) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C20 series (registry code 03020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON 206L-1
- Reported engine: ALLISON 250-C20 SER
- People aboard: 7
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor, private pilot, student
- Pilot flight hours: 1,402 total, 278 in this make and model, 131 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250928012199I

## Narrative

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

ON SEPTEMBER 28, 2025, A BELL 206 AIRCRAFT, DEPARTED ON AN AIR TOUR FLIGHT WHERE THE LEFT ENGINE COULING SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT. NO OTHER DAMAGE OCCURRED.

PRIOR TO THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT CONDUCTED A PREFLIGHT ISPECTION WHICH INCLUDED REMOVING THE CLOTH ENGINE COVER. THIS COVER IS SECURED BY STRAPS ATTACHED WITHIN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BEHIND THE COWLINGS. WHEN THE PILOT REMOVED THE COVER, THE PILOT FAILED TO ENSURE THE RIGHT COWLING WAS LATCHED. THE MISSING COWLING WAS DISCOVERED POST FLIGHT.

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.

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