Bell 206L 1 accident near Cherokee, North Carolina, April 30, 2005
On April 30, 2005 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Bell 206L 1 (helicopter), registered N66RR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cherokee, North Carolina (Cherokee Heliport airport). It was a business 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper use of the helicopter flight controls during a hover that resulted in a dynamic rollover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 30, 2005 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Cherokee, North Carolina · Cherokee Heliport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L 1 · all 206L 1s on the register
- Registration
- N66RR · registry record · serial 45278
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was repositioning the helicopter to the refueling area behind the helipad, to take on more fuel before flying his next sightseeing operation. He checked that all gauges were in normal operating ranges and that no warning lights were on. The pilot spooled up the helicopter to 100-percent and again, checked to make sure all gauges were in normal operating ranges. The pilot slowly began to raise the collective. The pilot stated that the front end of the helicopter started to raise up and the helicopter began to go backwards before fully off the ground. He continued raising the collective until he noticed that the right rear skid was buried into the gravel. The pilot pushed the collective down immediately and the helicopter rolled to the right onto its side and then came to rest inverted. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter prior to the accident. Examination of the accident site revealed a flat, gravel helipad. Examination of the wreckage revealed the helicopter inverted and the main rotor severed off. The roof of the cabin had crush damage and was detached from the rest of the cabin. Both main rotor blades were bent, the tip of one rotor blade was broken off and the tail rotor drive shaft was damaged. A passing automobile also sustained damage from flying helicopter debris.
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: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 510 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 400 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,931 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 31, 2004; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C28B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Cherokee NC at 10:43 pm
- Destination: Cherokee NC
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,300 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from KAVL, 21 miles away
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.
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.