Bell 206L-3 accident near Circle, Alaska, July 20, 2012
On July 20, 2012 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Bell 206L-3 (helicopter), registered N363AL, was substantially damaged in an accident during standing (engine(s) operating) near Circle, Alaska. It was a business flight under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's selection of unsuitable terrain for landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 20, 2012 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Circle, Alaska · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-3 · all 206L-3s on the register
- Registration
- N363AL · registry record · serial 51472
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot elected to land the high skid, turbine-powered helicopter in a burned-out wooded area as part of a vegetation reclamation survey. The area he selected contained several rain-soaked, burned, and fallen birch trees and required that he land on the fallen trees with the helicopter's skids perpendicular to the trees. The operator reported that, after landing atop the uneven, fallen trees, the pilot retarded the engine throttle to flight idle to begin the mandatory 2 minute engine cool down procedure. The helicopter subsequently tipped backwards and slid to the left, and the tail rotor struck a log. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the tail boom, tail rotor drive system, and tail rotor gearbox. The pilot said that there were no preimpact mechanical problems with the helicopter.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during standing (engine(s) operating) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during standing (engine(s) operating)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,338 hours in all; 2,165 in this make and model; 94 in the last 90 days; 58 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: June 10, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,617 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, July 17, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls Royce C30P (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bristow Alaska INC
The flight
- Departed from: MTF Fairbanks AK at 3:10 pm
- Destination: Circle AK
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; a few clouds at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 1:30 pm from CRC, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.