Bell 206L 3 accident near Chesterfield, Missouri, May 7, 2015
On May 7, 2015 at about 7:39 pm local time, a 1992 Bell 206L 3 (helicopter), registered N127AE, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Chesterfield, Missouri (Spirit Of St Louis 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 collision of the helicopter's skid shoe with the runway centerline light during landing, which abruptly stopped the helicopter and resulted in damage to the fuselage.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 7, 2015 · about 7:39 pm local time
- Place
- Chesterfield, Missouri · Spirit Of St Louis · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L 3 L3, built 1992 · all 206L 3s on the register
- Registration
- N127AE · no longer on the register · serial 51592
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot and flight instructor were conducting recurrent pilot training in the helicopter. They reported that the pilot was performing a practice run-on landing, during which the helicopter touched down about 5 knots and just right of the runway centerline. After skidding about 10 yards, the helicopter struck a recessed runway centerline light and then came to a stop. Examination of the light revealed that it had been struck at the leading edge of a plate that protected the light element. The helicopter had skid shoes attached to the bottom of the skid tubes, and each shoe projected down a short distance, creating a vertical lip on the bottom of the skid. Examination of the helicopter revealed damage to the underside of the fuselage in the area where the left skid was mounted, consistent with excessive rearward force acting on the skid. Based on the available evidence, it is likely that the vertical lip on one of the skid shoes contacted the leading edge of the plate on the centerline light, which abruptly stopped 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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Operating environment › Airport facilities/design › Runway lighting › Effect on operation
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › (general) › Pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,550 hours in all; 145 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 3,746 as pilot in command; 5 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,808 hours in all; 45 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 2,391 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,063 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, April 16, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 4,251 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C30 SER (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Evac Ems INC
The flight
- Departed from: SUS Chesterfield MO at 7:38 pm
- Destination: SUS Chesterfield MO
- Runway 26L, 7,485 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 9 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 pm from SUS
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.