Bell 206-L4 accident near Fort Worth, Texas, May 10, 2013
On May 10, 2013 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Bell 206-L4 (helicopter), registered N2036F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Worth, Texas (Private airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's inadequate supervision and delayed remedial action during a practice autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 10, 2013 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Worth, Texas · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206-L4 · all 206-L4s on the register
- Registration
- N2036F · registry record · serial 52123
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot receiving instruction was performing a practice right 180-degree autorotation. During the approach, the airspeed decreased to about 40 knots, which shortened the approach angle. At 8 to 10 feet above the ground, the flight instructor advised the pilot to apply forward cyclic while maintaining the collective position. The flight instructor then "used what was left of the rotor rpm to cushion the landing." During the touchdown, the helicopter landed hard, which resulted in structural damage to the tailboom. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Autorotation Attempted remediation/recovery
- Autorotation Hard landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,900 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 3,500 as pilot in command; 1,200 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 25, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 4,450 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls Royce 250-C30P (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AFW Fort Worth TX at 2:00 pm
- Destination: AFW Fort Worth TX
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,600 ft; ovct at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
1 document, released by the NTSB on May 16, 2013. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N2036F the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.