- Date
- September 27, 2025, 12:30 local (17:30 UTC)
- Place
- Archer City, TX
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N565VABell 206
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 15, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20250927014719A
- Case key
- 201738
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from power lines while herding livestock.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot was attempting to herd livestock when the helicopter contacted a powerline which damaged the main rotor system and resulted in a loss of control. The helicopter crash-landed into a shallow ditch and came to rest on its right side. The pilot was able to egress with minor injuries before the helicopter was destroyed by a post-impact fire. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N565VA
- Reported as
- Bell 206 (B3)
- Category
- Helicopter
- Serial number
- 3107
- Built
- 1980
- Airframe hours
- 13,318
- Engine
- Allison 250-C20, 420 horsepower, turbo shaft
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 17, 2025
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Equipment
- Heads up display, ADS-B
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 70
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Medical
- BasicMed, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 1,094 total · 764 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 4 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- KRPH, 30 nm away
- METAR
- METAR KRPH 271735Z AUTO 23004KT 10SM CLR 30/12 A3000 RMK AO2 T02990123=
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 15, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 9.2 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.