# Accident 20260118001169A: Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1, Hanna, UT, January 18, 2026

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 18, 2026, 15:12 local time
- Place: Hanna, UT
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Climb
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.4816° N, 111.0304° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.4816&lon=-111.0304&mi=10
- Aircraft: N138DD, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N138DD) (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 SER 250HP (registry code 03002, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-ser-250hp) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON 206L-1
- Reported engine: ALLISON 250 SER 250HP
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 600 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR26FA082](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26FA082) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260118001169A

## Narrative

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

ON JANUARY 18, 2026, THE SUBJECT AIRCRAFT DEPARTED BTF WITH A PIC CALCULATED 83 GALLONS OF FUEL AND FOUR SOULS ON BOARD (~650LBS) WITH AN INTENDED DESTINATION OF DANIELS SUMMIT LODGE NEAR HEBER UT.  THROUGHOUT THIS FLIGHT, THE SUBJECT AIRCRAFT WAS OPERATING IN TANDEM WITH ANOTHER ROTORCRAFT WHICH WAS NOT INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT.  VIDEO FOOTAGE TAKEN AT BTF SHOWS THE SUBJECT AIRCRAFT TAKING OFF AS DESIGNED WITHOUT EVIDENCE OF ANY MECHANICAL CONCERNS.  AFTER LANDING FOR A SHORT TIME AT DANIELS SUMMIT LODGE, THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED WITH INTENT TO GO OVER WOLF CREEK PASS WHICH RESIDES AT ~9,500 FEET ELEVATION.  UPON ARRIVAL, THE TANDEM AIRCRAFT LANDED IN A CLEARING OFF THE HIGHWAY.  THE CLEARING WAS HEAVILY COVERED IN HARD PACKED SNOW DUE TO SIGNIFICANT SNOWMOBILE TRAFFIC IN THE AREA.  THE PIC OF THE SUBJECT AIRCRAFT INTENDED TO LAND IN THE SAME CLEARING AND PRIOR TO TOUCH DOWN, PERFORMED A POWER CHECK IN WHICH THE AIRCRAFT PERFORMED AS DESIGNED.  UPON TOUCHDOWN, THE PIC NOTICED THE BACK LEFT SKID SANK MORE THAN THE RIGHT WHICH CAUSED THE PIC TO ABANDON THE LANDING.  AFTER RAISING THE COLLECTIVE TO TAKE OFF AND ACHIEVING ~50-100 FEET AGL, THE ROTORCRAFT BEGAN YAWING TO THE RIGHT.  VIDEO EVIDENCE FROM WITNESSES SHOWED A FULL LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR AUTHORITY DURING ASSENT AS WELL AS INTO DESCENT.  THE PIC STATED THAT THERE WAS NO FEEDBACK COMING FROM THE PEDALS.  THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN SPINNING UNCONTROLLABLY BEFORE DESCENDING INTO THE TREES ON THE EDGE OF THE CLEARING.  A PHYSICAL INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT FLIGHT CONTROLS AND SYSTEMS WAS UNABLE TO BE ACCOMPLISHED DUE TO THE WRECKAGE SITE.  NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND OF A TAIL ROTOR STRIKE OR IMPACT WHILE TAKING OFF; HOWEVER, THE AREA WAS HEAVILY DISRUPTED BEFORE THE ONSITE INVESTIGATION.  AN INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT AFTER RECOVERY IS PENDING AND THIS REPORT WILL BE AMENDED BASED ON THOSE RESULTS.

## 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 WPR26FA082](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26FA082), Jan 18, 2026: Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1 (N138DD), Kamas, UT, substantial damage, investigation ongoing

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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