# Accident 20260523009559A: Bell 206-L4, Cedar City, UT, May 23, 2026

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 23, 2026, 07:20 local time
- Place: Cedar City, UT
- Airport: Cedar City
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Taxi
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.7010° N, 113.0988° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.7010&lon=-113.0988&mi=10
- Aircraft: N917SU, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N917SU) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 206-L4 (registry code 1182110, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206-l4) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Allison 250-C20 series (registry code 03020, https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c20-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206-L4
- Reported engine: ROLLS-ROYC 250-C20 SER
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 1,424 total, 219 in this make and model, 114 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR26LA199](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA199) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260523009559A

## Narrative

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

A HELICOPTER PILOT INSTRUCTOR (WHO WAS SITTING IN THE RIGHT SEAT) AND STUDENT FLYING A BELL 206L-4, WITH REGISTRATION NUMBER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, WERE LOCATED AT THE KCDC (CEDAR CITY) AIRPORT, SOUTH RAMP. INTENDING TO TAXI TO THE HELIPAD VIA TAXIWAY CHARLIE, THE INSTRUCTOR AND STUDENT COMPLETED THEIR CHECKLIST, WHICH INCLUDED VERIFYING THAT THE HELICOPTER ENGINE RPM STABILIZED AT 100%. UPON LIFTING TO A HOVER, THE ENGINE RPM INCREASED TO 104%. IN RESPONSE TO THE RPM INCREASE TO 104%, THE INSTRUCTOR REACHED OVER AND TAPPED THE GOVERNOR DECREASE SWITCH, CAUSING THE HELICOPTER TO LOSE ALTITUDE. IN RESPONSE TO THE LOSS OF ALTITUDE THE INSTRUCTOR RAISED THE COLLECTIVE. AS THE HELICOPTER DESCENDED, THE NOSE PITCHED UP DUE TO THE COLLECTIVE BEING RAISED, AND THE HELICOPTER BEGAN MOVING BACKWARDS. IN AN ATTEMPT TO RECOVER, THE INSTRUCTOR APPLIED FORWARD CYCLIC AND LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO CONTACT THE GROUND. AFTER CONTACTING THE GROUND, (ALTHOUGH THE INSTRUCTOR DOESN’T RECALL MAKING ADDITIONAL INPUTS) THE HELICOPTER BECAME AIRBORNE, CLIMBING 20 TO 30 FEET AND YAWING TO THE RIGHT. THE INSTRUCTOR ATTEMPTED TO SIMULTANEOUSLY MANEUVER THE HELICOPTER AWAY FROM THE HANGERS AND ROLL THE THROTTLE CLOSED. AT THIS POINT, AIRPORT VIDEO SHOWS THE HELICOPTER SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL, AWAY FROM THE HANGERS, AND IMPACTING THE DIRT A FEW HUNDRED FEET FROM WHERE THEY STARTED.

## 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 WPR26LA199](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA199), May 23, 2026: Bell 206-L4 (N917SU), Cedar City, UT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The flight instructor's failure to maintain helicopter control while manipulating the engine governor reference rpm adjustment during hover operations, which resulted in a loss of control and impact…

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.