NTSB investigations: Bell 206L-3

7 cases on aircraft the registry lists as Bell 206L-3, where the first occurrence was “Loss of engine power”. 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.

Defining event

Finding

Phase of flight

Aircraft model

Cases per year

19832026

NTSB investigations: Bell 206L-3 per year, 1983–2026: 7 cases
1983	1
1992	1
1997	1
2001	1
2002	1
2004	2

Where

Open the map

Latest cases

Query with 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 ('1182108') 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" = 350)) ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC

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 ('1182108')
      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\" = 350))
  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.

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 ('1182108')
    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" = 350))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC

Run it at the DuckDB prompt, or in any tool that reads Parquet over HTTPS. More ways to query the release are on Use the data.

NTSB LAX04LA216Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell 206L-3 · Palmdale, CAThe momentary loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.May 20, 2004 · N2019F · Substantial damage NTSB FTW04LA088Accident · Minor injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell 206L-3 · W. Cameron 149A partial loss of engine power due to undetermined reasons. A contributing factor was the emergency floats not being deployed.Mar 6, 2004 · N81SP · Substantial damage NTSB FTW02LA102Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell 206L-3 · Oakley, UTThe loss of engine power for an undetermined reason. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.Mar 26, 2002 · N30YB · Substantial damage NTSB FTW02LA019Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell 206L-3 · East Cameron 78The hard landing due to the pilot's failure to maintain proper main rotor rpm. Contributing factors were the loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, and the pilot's failure to deploy the emergency floats.Oct 18, 2001 · N348AL · Substantial damage NTSB SEA98LA024Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell 206L · Idaho Falls, IDloss of engine power for undetermined reason(s). A factor relating to the accident included a dirt berm/ridge in the field where the pilot executed the forced landing.Dec 16, 1997 · N206LT · Substantial damage NTSB FTW92LA166Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportBell 206L-3 · Ponca City, OKThe pilot's failure to maintain main rotor RPM. A factor was the contaminated fuel.Jun 21, 1992 · N66LR · Substantial damage NTSB LAX84FA032Accident · No injuriesField investigationFinal reportBell 206L-3 · Grand Canyon, AZWhile on a non-revenue business flt, the plt noted a partial loss of power with the N1 dropping to 70% RPM & the torque decreasing to 10%. He was unable to restore power & subsequently made a forced landing in the Grand Canyon. The landing was made on an…Oct 25, 1983 · N38903 · Substantial damage