NTSB investigations: Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1

11 cases on aircraft the registry lists as Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1, where the first occurrence was “Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction”. Aircraft are matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model, so older matches can be wrong.

Cases per year

19822026
NTSB investigations: Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1 per year, 1982–2026: 11 cases
19821
19851
19871
19881
19891
19901
19911
19951
19961
20001
20011

Latest cases

Query with SQL
duckdb -csv -c "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_occurrences.parquet' o WHERE o.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND o.aircrafts_position = x.position AND o.\"occurrenceNumber\" = 1 AND o.\"occurrenceCode\" = 130))
  ORDER BY c.\"eventDate\" DESC, c.\"ntsbNumber\" DESC"

Prints the whole list as CSV. It reads the release’s Parquet files over HTTPS, so there’s nothing to download first. Install DuckDB to run it.

NTSB NYC01LA088Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell 206 L-1 · Seneca Falls, NYthe loss of a bolt in a Thomas coupling on the tail rotor drive shaft, for undetermined reasons, during climb, while operating over unsuitable terrain.Mar 23, 2001 · N2138Y · Substantial damageNTSB DEN01LA012Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell 206L-1 · Mesa Verde, COThe manufacturer's use of improper materials, and inadequate quality control of the tail rotor blades during the manufacturing process, which resulted in fatigue failure of the blade.Oct 30, 2000 · N613 · Substantial damageNTSB NYC96GA083Accident · 2 fatalFinal reportBell 206L-1 · Charleston, WVthe helicopter manufacturer's inadequate maintenance service bulletin inspection interval which failed to provide timely detection of preexisting fatigue cracks in the tail boom. Factors were: the manufacturer's failure to develop a modification of the failed…Apr 4, 1996 · N79SP · DestroyedNTSB NYC95LA142Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell 206-BIII · New York, NYThe pilot' inadequate preflight inspection. A factor was the pilot's diverted attention.Jul 6, 1995 · N206GS · Substantial damageNTSB MIA92LA005Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell 206-L-1 · Hollywood, FLThe failure of the pilot to maintain rotor RPM and the failure of the CFI to monitor the controls.Oct 6, 1991 · N78CF · Substantial damageNTSB FTW91LA023Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell 206L-1 · W.Cameron 266Failure of the helicopter's aft landing gear crosstube assembly due to fatigue.Dec 9, 1990 · N5753B · DestroyedNTSB FTW89LA039Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell 206L-1 · S. Timbalier 75 (Gulf of Mexico)The loss of control of the helicopter due to an undetermined failure of the tail rotor control system.Jan 9, 1989 · N27555 · DestroyedNTSB NYC88FA166Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportBell 206L-1 · Springtown, PAWhile in cruise flight, ground witnesses observed the helicopter make two violent roll maneuvers followed by an in-flight breakup. Aircraft wreckage was spread over an area of approximately 10 acres. Examination of the wreckage revealed that the collective…Jun 17, 1988 · N114FH · DestroyedNTSB FTW87LA195Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell 206L-1 · New Iberia, LACrew performing practice touchdown autorotations during a trng flt. On 4th autorotation, acft touched down with excess grnd speed and skidded for approx 75' on the wet, soft grass. When crew applied power back to flight RPM they heard a grinding sound and…Aug 12, 1987 · N2764F · Substantial damageNTSB FTW85LA295Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell 206L-1 · South MarshThe plt was initiating a takeoff from a hover off an offshore oil rig. As he lowered the nose for takeoff, he heard a loud noise emit from the tailboom area & the acft began rotating to the right. The plt continued to apply pwr and autorotated to the water.…Jul 21, 1985 · N5753D · DestroyedNTSB FTW82DA144Accident · No injuriesFinal reportBell 206L-1 · Cameron, LAN2138Y departed Cameron, LA after refueling en route to an offshore rig. Shortly after departure, while over water, the aircraft began to yaw and vibrate severely. The pilot stated that the tail rotor pedals "kicked" hard when additional power was applied.…Apr 22, 1982 · N2138Y · Substantial damage