Bell 206B accident near Fort Mcmurray, Ca, May 29, 2013
On May 29, 2013 at about 5:10 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered CFZWB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Mcmurray. It was flown under rules the NTSB did not record. 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 29, 2013 · about 5:10 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Mcmurray, Canada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- CFZWB · no longer on the register · serial 1342
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · rules the NTSB did not record
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On May 29, 2013, about 1110 mountain daylight time, a Canadian registered Bell 206B helicopter, C-FZWB, crashed approximately 75 nautical miles north of Ft. McMurray, Alberta, Canada. The helicopter was owned and operated by Aurora Helicopters Ltd., doing buisness as Wood Buffalo Helicopters. The pilot and one passenger sustained fatal injuries, one passenger sustained serious injuries. The accident investigation is under the jurisdiction and control of the Canadian government. This report is for information purposes only and contains only information released by or obtained from the Canadian government. Further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Transportation Safety Board of Canada 200 Promenade du Portage Place du Centre, 4th Floor Hull, Quebec K1A 1K8 Canada Tel.: (1) 819-994-4252 (1) 819-997-7887 (24 hour) E-mail: airops@tsb.gc.ca Fax: (1) 819-953-9586 Website: http://www.tsb.gc.ca
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
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Aurora Helicopters Ltd.
The flight
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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.