Bell 206L-3 accident near Justice, Illinois, July 26, 2005
On July 26, 2005 at about 3:10 pm local time, a Bell 206L-3 (helicopter), registered N741LL, was destroyed in an accident near Justice, Illinois. It was a public-use flight (state) under public-use (government) rules. 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper in-flight decision while maneuvering which resulted in a tailwind during low airspeed helicopter flight and subsequent loss of tail rotor effectiveness. The struck sign and fence were factors in the accident.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 26, 2005 · about 3:10 pm local time
- Place
- Justice, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-3 · all 206L-3s on the register
- Registration
- N741LL · no longer on the register · serial 51165
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight (state) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter was destroyed when it impacted a sign, a privacy/guard fence, and the terrain adjacent to an interstate highway. The public use flight was conducted in order to survey a tollway. According to the pilot, the helicopter began, "a sudden right yaw with possibly a raising of the tail. The aircraft then yawed left, possibly in response to pedal input ... Then started what seemed to be a slower right rotation." The helicopter continued to rotate to the right, descended, and impacted the structure of an overhead road sign, a privacy/guard fence and then came to rest on the ground adjacent to the fence. The reported winds in the vicinity of the accident site were 290 degrees at 15 knots. Radar track data showed that the helicopter traveled in a northwesterly direction parallel to an interstate highway, passed a toll plaza, and then began a left turn. The radar data showed that during the left turn, the wind direction relative to the aircraft ground track entered the region defined in the Federal Aviation Administration "Rotorcraft Flying Handbook" (FAA-H-8083-21), as being conducive to weathercock instability. During this same period, the helicopter's calibrated airspeed was between 4 and 20 knots. FAA-H-8083-21 states that, "In this region, the helicopter attempts to weathervane its nose into the relative wind. Unless a resisting pedal input is made, the helicopter starts a slow, uncommanded turn either to the right or left depending upon the wind direction. If the pilot allows a right yaw rate to develop and the tail of the helicopter moves into this region, the yaw rate can accelerate rapidly." FAA-H-8083-21 also states that, "Unanticipated yaw is the occurrence of an uncommanded yaw rate that does not subside of its own accord and, which, if not corrected, can result in the loss of helicopter control. This uncommanded yaw rate is referred to as loss of tail rotor effectiveness (LTE) and occurs to the right in helicopters with a counter-clockwise rotating main rotor." No anomalies were found with respect to 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
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,682 hours in all; 125 in the last 90 days; 59 in the last 30 days; 6,889 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,026 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 2005; 88 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250 C30P (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Downers Grove IL at 2:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from MDW, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.