Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 505 accident near Bethany, Oklahoma, April 30, 2025
On April 30, 2025 at about 10:52 pm local time, a 2019 Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 505, registered N9TV, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Bethany, Oklahoma (Wiley Post airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper landing technique that allowed the helicopter’s right skid to get caught on the landing platform, which resulted in a dynamic rollover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 30, 2025 · about 10:52 pm local time
- Place
- Bethany, Oklahoma · Wiley Post · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 505, built 2019 · all 505s on the register
- Registration
- N9TV · registry record · serial 65195
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After completing a two-hour news gathering flight, the pilot returned to the airport and attempted to land on a dolly landing platform. The pilot stated that he landed off-center on the platform, then attempted to back out and straighten the helicopter. The helicopter’s right skid got caught in the middle of the platform, and the helicopter rolled right and experienced a dynamic rollover, which resulted in substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures of 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
- Dynamic rollover during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 13,931 hours in all; 210 in this make and model; 89 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 13,570 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 20, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 300.4 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, April 11, 2025; 89 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,680 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Safran Arruis 2R (turboshaft); 300 hours total
- Operator: Griffin Television Okc LLC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,600 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.74 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KPWA
Weather report (METAR): KPWA 302253Z 34008KT 10SM BKN046 19/15 A2974 RMK AO2 SLP064 T01940150 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on June 13, 2025. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Passenger Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN25LA167.