Bell Helicopter Textron INC APT70 accident near Mineral Wells, Texas, March 14, 2023
On March 14, 2023 at about 3:00 pm local time, a 2019 Bell Helicopter Textron INC APT70 (powered-lift aircraft), registered N314AL, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Mineral Wells, Texas. It was a flight test 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 flight crew’s loss of control of the unmanned aircraft due to software limitations. Contributing to the accident was the overly restrictive low voltage threshold limits.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 14, 2023 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Mineral Wells, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell Helicopter Textron INC APT70, built 2019
- Registration
- N314AL · no longer on the register · serial 002
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a flight test, the unmanned aircraft’s flight control computer registered a low battery voltage reading and entered an automatic land in place flight maneuver. The aircraft was hovering over a large bush at the time and the ground station operator (GSO) attempted to override the system, but the system rejected the commands. The GSO attempted to change the land in place waypoint, but the system again rejected the command. The aircraft performed its land in place maneuver and collided with the bush, which resulted in the aircraft tipping over and coming to rest inverted. The operator reviewed the aircraft systems and found the low voltage threshold to be overly restrictive. In addition, software prevented the flight crew from overriding the land in place command and regaining control of the aircraft by changing the waypoint.
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 during takeoff/land during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Electrical system malf/failure during maneuvering
- Fuel exhaustion during maneuvering
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Electrical power system › (general) › Related operating info
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Indicating/recording systems › (general) › Related operating info
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Auto flight system › (general) › Design
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter; rotorcraft: unmanned (suas)
- Flight time: 1,500 hours in all; 36 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 1,400 as pilot in command; 400 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 16, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: none
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 17.6 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 500 lb
- Seats: 0
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Proprietary (electric); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Proprietary (electric); 0 hours total
- Engine 3: Proprietary (electric); 0 hours total
- Engine 4: Proprietary (electric); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bell Textron INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from KMWL, 3 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KMWL 141553Z AUTO 13009KT 10SM CLR 11/M03 A3031 RMK AO2 SLP260 T01111028
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on March 28, 2024. 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 |
| 2 | Memorandum of Record, Bell | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.