# NTSB investigations: Bell 206B: Loss of tail rotor effectiveness

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 ERA25LA059](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA059.md): Bell 206B · Lakeland, FL · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Nov 21, 2024 · N422RH · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain yaw control during a tailwind approach, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness, an uncommanded spin, and subsequent hard landing.
- [NTSB CEN22FA086](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22FA086.md): Bell 206B · Livingston, TX · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Dec 30, 2021 · N8AU · Substantial damage
  > The pilot exceeding the yaw control capability of the helicopter for the flight conditions, resulting in a non-mechanical loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
- [NTSB CEN22LA009](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA009.md): Bell 206 · Gonzales, LA · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Oct 6, 2021 · N373SP · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot’s failure to compensate for an unanticipated right yaw, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness and helicopter control.
- [NTSB GAA17CA495](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA495.md): Bell 206 · Minden, NV · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Aug 20, 2017 · N6259C · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain helicopter control during landing due to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
- [NTSB GAA17CA393](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA393.md): Bell 206 · Dixon, KY · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jul 6, 2017 · N8159J · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to see and avoid power lines while maneuvering at a low altitude. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to adequately identify hazards to flight during agricultural application operation planning.
- [NTSB GAA17CA369](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA17CA369.md): Bell 206B · Entiat, WA · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Jun 26, 2017 · N183TC · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to secure a loose item inside the cockpit that interfered with antitorque pedal control and led to a loss of helicopter control due to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
- [NTSB ERA16CA160](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA16CA160.md): Bell 206 · Baltimore, MD · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Apr 16, 2016 · N326AC · Destroyed
  > The pilot's inadequate compensation for the wind while hovering out of ground effect, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
- [NTSB GAA15CA102](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA15CA102.md): Bell 206 - B11 · Caledonia, MI · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 29, 2015 · N206ED · Substantial damage
  > A loss of tail rotor effectiveness while maneuvering at low altitude, resulting in a collision with trees.
- [NTSB CEN15LA002](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN15LA002.md): Bell 206B · Woodsboro, TX · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Oct 2, 2014 · N49746 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to recognize and correct for flight conditions conducive to a loss of tail rotor effectiveness, which resulted in a rapid, uncommanded right yaw and subsequent hard landing.
- [NTSB WPR14CA041](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14CA041.md): Bell 206B · Superior, MT · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Nov 2, 2013 · N888DR · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control while maneuvering during a long-line operation.
- [NTSB CEN12LA267](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12LA267.md): Bell 206B · Valley Falls, KS · Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · May 2, 2012 · N85RB · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s inadequate compensation for the wind conditions during a hover maneuver, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
- [NTSB ERA12MA005](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA12MA005.md): Bell 206B · New York, NY · Accident · 2 fatal · Major investigation · Final report · Oct 4, 2011 · N63Q · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to anticipate and correct for conditions (high gross weight, low indicated airspeed, and a right downwind turn) conducive to loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE), which resulted in LTE and an uncontrolled spin. Contributing to the…
- [NTSB SEA08LA213](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/SEA08LA213.md): Bell 206B · Woods Landing-Jelm, WY · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 27, 2008 · N59611 · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's encounter with a loss of tail rotor effectiveness event and his failure to maintain directional control while maneuvering. Contributing to the accident were the tailwind condition and the sloping, uneven terrain.

## 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 ('1181511')
    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" = '242' 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/242/sequence?model=1181511

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