Bell 206B accident near Anchorage, Alaska, July 30, 2007
On July 30, 2007 at about 3:40 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N16757, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Merrill Field). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from a light pole during final approach, which resulted in the helicopter striking the pole.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 2007 · about 3:40 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Merrill Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N16757 · registry record · serial 2145
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial certificated pilot was positioning the helicopter from a private landing area to a local airport for fuel under Title 14, CFR Part 91. He said approaching the taxiway, about 20-30 feet in the air, he spotted the light atop a 20-foot light pole through the left chin-bubble. He reported that he attempted to avoid the light, but the helicopter struck the light pole, damaging the chin-bubble and associated fuselage structure. He reported there were no preaccident mechanical anomalies with the helicopter prior to the accident.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 23,965 hours in all; 14,000 in this make and model; 125 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 300 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,273 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250 C 20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Wasilla AK at 10:10 am
- Destination: PAMR Anchorage AK
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,700 ft; a few clouds at 500 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from PAMR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ANC07CA070.