# NTSB CEN25LA232: Bell 206B, N16726, Edgerton, MO, July 1, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Preliminary report
- Date: July 1, 2025, 08:45 local (13:45 UTC)
- Place: Edgerton, MO
- Coordinates: 39.44168, -94.65674 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.4417&lon=-94.6567&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Initial climb](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/350) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 1 uninjured
- Status: Investigation ongoing
- Investigation class: Class 3
- NTSB office: Central Region
- Parties: Transportation Safety Board of Canada, Federal Aviation Administration, Kansas City FSDO, Bell Flight, Rolls Royce
- NTSB case key (mKey): 200449
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN25LA232
- NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/200449/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA232

## Preliminary report

On July 1, 2025, at 0845 central daylight time, a Bell 206B, N17626, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Edgerton, Missouri. The commercial pilot was uninjured. The helicopter was operated under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations as a Part 137 aerial application flight. The pilot stated that during a departure climb, he heard the engine surge and saw the main rotor speed decrease. He said that he pulled back on the cyclic to slow down and lowered the collective slightly to see if he could regain rotor speed, while the helicopter was about 150-200 feet agl and the airspeed was about 45-50 kts. He then heard the engine shut down. He immediately lowered the collective and turned the aircraft slightly to the south to attempt a landing to a grass pasture. During the landing, the helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tailboom, a tail rotor blade, and the main rotor blades. The helicopter was retained for further examination.

## Sequence of events

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

- [Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342) (defining event); cases with it: [Bell 206B, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md?model=1181511), [All aircraft, 1,858 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/342/sequence.md)

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N16726](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N16726), registered now, S/N 2122, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 206B
- Registry model: [Bell 206B](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-206b) (registry code 1181511) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: [Rolls-Royce M250 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-m250-series) (registry code 54260, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 2122
- Year built: 1976
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Aerial application, Part 137
- Operator: Aeroag
- Registered owner: Aeroag Asset LLC

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 340° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observed at: MCI, 7 nm away

## 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 20250701021329A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250701021329A), Jul 1, 2025: Bell 206B, Ridgely, MO, Substantial damage. On July 1, 2025, pilot pushed aircraft out of hangar and performed preflight. Pilot was not able to perform sump due to spray tank installation. To the…

## Other investigations on N16726 (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 LAX96LA194](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX96LA194), Feb 6, 1996: Bell 206B (N16726), Barstow, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: failure of the pilot to maintain adequate terrain clearance, while maneuvering around a ground vehicle at low altitude.

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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