How many accidents has the Bell 206 had?

The NTSB has recorded 1329 events involving the Bell 206: 317 fatal, 192 serious, 242 minor injuries, and 546 incidents with no injuries.

Is the Bell 206 a safe aircraft?

Safety depends on many factors beyond the aircraft model, including pilot training, maintenance, and weather conditions. The Bell 206 has 1329 NTSB-recorded events. Always review individual reports for context — many events involve pilot error or weather, not aircraft defects.

Bell 206 Safety Record

Complete NTSB accident and incident history. 1329 events recorded from 1982 to 2026.

1329

All Events

546

Incidents

242

Minor

192

Serious

317

Fatal (670 fatalities)

Date	Location	Reg#	Severity	Damage	Probable Cause
Apr 16, 1995	HORSESHOE BEND, MO	N729CH	Incident	substantial	the pilot's failure to untie the main rotor tie-down strap prior to starting the helicopter.
Apr 02, 1995	FLOWER MOUND, TX	N701EC	Fatal (1)	substantial	THE PILOT'S IMPROPER WIND EVALUATION, AND IMPROPER TOUCHDOWN PROCEDURE, RESULTING IN DYNAMIC ROLLOVER OF THE HELICOPTER. FACTORS WERE THE TAILWIND, DA… THE PILOT'S IMPROPER WIND EVALUATION, AND IMPROPER TOUCHDOWN PROCEDURE, RESULTING IN DYNAMIC ROLLOVER OF THE HELICOPTER. FACTORS WERE THE TAILWIND, DARK NIGHT, AND THE LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE AT NIGHT.
Mar 21, 1995	PACIFIC OCEAN, PO	N2223P	Serious (1)	destroyed	the loss of tail rotor control for undetermined reasons.
Mar 15, 1995	SAN NICHOLAS, AR	LVWFZ	Incident	destroyed	Investigation pending
Mar 06, 1995	MIAMI, FL	N164BH	Incident	substantial	THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ENGINE POWER WHILE MANEUVERING, HIS FAILURE TO TAKE REMEDIAL ACTION TO RECOVER FROM THE RESUL… THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE ENGINE POWER WHILE MANEUVERING, HIS FAILURE TO TAKE REMEDIAL ACTION TO RECOVER FROM THE RESULTING DESCENT, AND HIS DECISION TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING ON THE WATER.
Feb 27, 1995	MARYLAND HTS, MO	N970CC	Incident	substantial	FATIGUE FAILURE OF TWO ATTACHMENT BOLTS THAT CONNECTED THE DRIVESHAFT TO THE GEARED PORTION OF A DRIVESHAFT COUPLING. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT… FATIGUE FAILURE OF TWO ATTACHMENT BOLTS THAT CONNECTED THE DRIVESHAFT TO THE GEARED PORTION OF A DRIVESHAFT COUPLING. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE, UNEVEN TERRAIN IN THE TOUCHDOWN AREA FOR THE FORCED LANDING, AND THE UNFAVORABLE HEIGHT/VELOCITY SITUATION OF THE HELICOPTER WHEN THE DRIVESHAFT DISCONNECT OCCURRED.
Feb 24, 1995	DILLON, MT	N2277T	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S SELECTION OF A LANDING SITE THAT WAS NOT SUITABLE TO SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE HELICOPTER. FACTORS INCLUDE TERRAIN COVERED WITH SOFT SNOW.
Feb 14, 1995	EAST CAMERON,	N172AL	Fatal (5)	destroyed	INADVERTENT FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER AFTER BECOMING … INADVERTENT FLIGHT BY THE PILOT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER AFTER BECOMING SPATIALLY DISORIENTED. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF RECENT INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.
Jan 29, 1995	NEACON, NU	N59556	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Jan 28, 1995	MIAMI, FL	N5008N	Incident	substantial	INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION, AND A LOOSE FUEL PC LINE. THE WIRES WERE A FACTOR WHICH NECESSITATED EARLY COLLECTIVE PITCH.
Jan 15, 1995	LOS ANGELES, CA	N2209P	Fatal (2)	destroyed	THE PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S AND OPERATOR'S… THE PILOT'S CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE PILOT'S AND OPERATOR'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW THEIR ESTABLISHED DISPATCH PROCEDURES, THE PILOT'S POOR JUDGMENT IN INITIATING THE FLIGHT, AND THE EXISTING WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Dec 20, 1994	MIAMI, FL	N163BH	Incident	substantial	INADEQUATE SUPERVISION BY THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (CFI) FOR FAILURE TO NOTE REDUCTION IN CLEARANCE BETWEEN THE TAIL ROTOR AND AN EMBANKMENT.
Dec 15, 1994	JULIAN, CA	N37AJ	Incident	substantial	the failure of the pilot to maintain a proper alignment during hover in a mountainous area.
Dec 04, 1994	KENAI, AK	N3179X	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE INFORMATION IN THE FLIGHT MANUAL CONCERNING THE USE OF THE PARTICLE SEPARATOR KIT AND DEFLECTOR KIT WHEN OPERATING I… THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE INFORMATION IN THE FLIGHT MANUAL CONCERNING THE USE OF THE PARTICLE SEPARATOR KIT AND DEFLECTOR KIT WHEN OPERATING IN FALLING SNOW. FACTORS WERE THE ROUGH TERRAIN IN THE FORCED LANDING AREA AND NO INSTALLATION OF THE DEFLECTOR KIT.
Nov 29, 1994	NATCHITOCHES, LA	N2183P	Incident	destroyed	THE DELAYED FLARE AND THE IMPROPER TOUCHDOWN BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND. FACTORS WERE THE OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT WITH KNOWN DEFICIENCIES BY THE OPERAT… THE DELAYED FLARE AND THE IMPROPER TOUCHDOWN BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND. FACTORS WERE THE OPERATION OF THE AIRCRAFT WITH KNOWN DEFICIENCIES BY THE OPERATOR AND THE PILOT, DELAYED MAINTENANCE, AND, AN ENGINE COMPRESSOR ASSEMBLY STALL, COMBINED WITH EROSION AND CORROSION OF THE STATOR VANES WHICH RESULTED IN A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER.
Nov 20, 1994	JUNEAU, AK	N49686	Incident	—	THE EMPLOYEE'S DISREGARD FOR COMPANY TRAINING AND POLICIES ABOUT THE DANGERS OF HELICOPTER ROTOR BLADES. THE RUNNING AIRCRAFT WITH THE ROTORS TURNING… THE EMPLOYEE'S DISREGARD FOR COMPANY TRAINING AND POLICIES ABOUT THE DANGERS OF HELICOPTER ROTOR BLADES. THE RUNNING AIRCRAFT WITH THE ROTORS TURNING WAS A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT.
Oct 28, 1994	MIAMI, FL	N407MP	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Oct 27, 1994	RUSTON, LA	N206SF	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S IMPROPER HANDLING OF THE HELICOPTER AFTER AN APPARENT LOSS OF POWER DURING A PRACTICE AUTOROTATION.
Oct 26, 1994	INVER GROVE HTS, MN	N505KS	Serious (4)	destroyed	the pilot's improper altitude and inadequate visual lookout.
Sep 03, 1994	LIBBY, MT	N206LB	Incident	substantial	Investigation pending
Sep 02, 1994	HURST, TX	N2064J	Incident	substantial	THE CERTIFICATED FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER LANDING ALIGNMENT.
Aug 18, 1994	YREKA, CA	N8NU	Incident	destroyed	Investigation pending
Aug 13, 1994	WHITING, NJ	N124NH	Fatal (3)	destroyed	THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND SUBSEQUENT SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, WHICH… THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING/DECISION, FLIGHT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND SUBSEQUENT SPATIAL DISORIENTATION, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS, THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS (FOG AND HAZE), AND THE PILOT'S LACK OF INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.
Aug 09, 1994	CHUIT RIVER, AK	N4604Y	Incident	substantial	THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS DURING HOVER.
Jul 30, 1994	KENAI, AK	N90315	Serious (2)	substantial	THE PILOT ATTEMPTING TO OPERATE THE HELICOPTER IN AN ENVIRONMENT WHICH EXCEEDED THE AIRCRAFT'S PERFORMANCE ENVELOPE.

Disclaimer: This data is sourced from the NTSB Aviation Accident Database. NTSB events reflect reported accidents and incidents and do not necessarily indicate a defect in the aircraft type. Many events involve pilot error, weather conditions, maintenance issues, or other factors unrelated to the aircraft design. This information is provided for research purposes only — consult official NTSB reports for complete details.

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Data source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database · About our data

Bell 206 Safety Record

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