# NTSB investigations: Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1: Loss of control in flight

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB GAA18CA424](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA424.md): Bell 206 · New Castle, IN · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 16, 2018 · N39LR · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to ensure that the fill hose was disconnected from the helicopter before takeoff, which resulted in the fill hose striking the tail rotor and the subsequent loss of tail rotor effectiveness. Contributing to the accident was inadequate…
- [NTSB CEN15FA003](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15FA003.md): Bell Helicopter Textron 206L 1 · Wichita Falls, TX · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 4, 2014 · N335AE · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain yaw control when he applied power to execute a go-around at a low airspeed in dark, night conditions, which resulted in a rapid, uncommanded right yaw due to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
- [NTSB ERA13FA273](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13FA273.md): Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1 · Manchester, KY · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jun 7, 2013 · N114AE · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s loss of helicopter control due to spatial disorientation when he inadvertently encountered night, instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the in-flight separation of the main rotor and tailboom.
- [NTSB CEN13LA310](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13LA310.md): Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1 · La Junta, CO · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · May 7, 2013 · N20Z · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's inadequate compensation for wind during low-altitude operations, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
- [NTSB CEN10FA509](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN10FA509.md): Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1 · Walnut Grove, AR · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Aug 31, 2010 · N62AE · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s loss of aircraft control, due to spatial disorientation, resulting in the in-flight separation of the main rotor and tail boom.
- [NTSB CEN09LA413](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09LA413.md): Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1 · Breckenridge, CO · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jul 2, 2009 · N38AZ · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while maneuvering due to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to monitor wind direction while operating in the "Critical Wind Azimuth Area."
- [NTSB CHI08FA269](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI08FA269.md): Bell 206L-1 · Greensburg, IN · Accident · 3 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Aug 31, 2008 · N37AE · Destroyed
  > The in-flight separation of a main rotor blade due to a fatigue failure of the blade spar, rendering the helicopter uncontrollable, and the manufacturer's production of main rotor blades with latent manufacturing defects, which precipitated the fatigue…

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('1182107')
    AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND s.aircrafts_position = x.position AND s."tier2Number" = '240' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "isDefiningEvent")))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence?model=1182107

---
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.
