# NTSB CEN25LA167: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 505, N9TV, Bethany, OK, April 30, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: April 30, 2025, 17:52 local (22:52 UTC)
- Place: Bethany, OK
- Coordinates: 35.536132, -97.642411
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.5361&lon=-97.6424&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Dynamic rollover](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/231)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor, 1 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Air Flite, FAA, Transportation Safety Board of Canada
- NTSB case key (mKey): 200106
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA167
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200106/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200106
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA167

## Probable cause

The pilot’s improper landing technique that allowed the helicopter’s right skid to get caught on the landing platform, which resulted in a dynamic rollover.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Performance/control parameters: lateral/bank control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 505, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023/cases.md?model=1182165), [All aircraft, 390 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062023/cases.md)
- [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 505, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=1182165), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Landing-flare/touchdown: Dynamic rollover](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/231) (defining event); cases with it: [Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 505, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/231/sequence.md?model=1182165), [All aircraft, 161 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/231/sequence.md)

## Analysis

After completing a two-hour news gathering flight, the pilot returned to the airport and attempted to land on a dolly landing platform. The pilot stated that he landed off-center on the platform, then attempted to back out and straighten the helicopter. The helicopter’s right skid got caught in the middle of the platform, and the helicopter rolled right and experienced a dynamic rollover, which resulted in substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures of the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N9TV](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9TV-2025-07-17), registration cancelled 2025-07-17, S/N 65195, built 2019 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA 505
- Registry model: [Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 505](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-helicopter-textron-canada-505) (registry code 1182165) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Safran ARRIUS-2R](https://openairdocs.org/engine/safran-arrius-2r) (registry code 59992, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 65195
- Year built: 2019
- Airframe hours: 300.4
- Engines: Safran Arruis 2R 505 horsepower turbo shaft
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Business, Part 91
- Operator: Griffin Television Okc LLC
- Registered owner: Griffin Television Okc LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Condition, April 11, 2025, 89 hours before
- Airport: PWA, Wiley Post
- Equipment: Onboard weather, ADS-B

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 68; injuries: minor; commercial, private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review January 20, 2025; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 13,931 total, 210 in this make and model, 13,570 as pilot in command, 89 in the last 90 days, 41 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 4,600 ft broken
- Temperature: 66 °F, dew point 59 °F
- Altimeter: 29.74 inHg
- Observed at: KPWA
- METAR: KPWA 302253Z 34008KT 10SM BKN046 19/15 A2974 RMK AO2 SLP064 T01940150 $

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20250430004399A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250430004399A), Apr 30, 2025: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 505, Bethany, OK, Substantial damage. On April 30, 2025, at approximately 18:41 local time, this office was contacted by the regional operations center regarding a helicopter accident at Wiley Post…

## Docket (3 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 13, 2025, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=200106. 12.5 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 9.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18715039&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20-%20N9TV%20Bell%20505_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Passenger statement (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 892 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18714370&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Passenger%20statement_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 3, PDF, 9 pages, 8 photos, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=18722022&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Docket%20photos-Rel.pdf

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.

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