Bell 206L-1 accident near West Plains, Missouri, July 13, 2005
On July 13, 2005 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Bell 206L-1 (helicopter), registered N2756A, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Plains, Missouri (West Plains Municipal 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
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons during the intentional autorotation. The pilot's misjudgment of the touchdown flare leading to a hard landing was an additional cause. A contributing factor was the intentional autorotation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 13, 2005 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- West Plains, Missouri · West Plains Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-1 · all 206L-1s on the register
- Registration
- N2756A · no longer on the register · serial 45256
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter was substantially damaged during a hard landing following a loss of engine power. The operator reported that during the training flight, the check airman initiated a simulated engine failure. The report stated that the pilot lowered the collective and entered an autorotation. The operator stated that when the throttle was advanced to recover from the autorotation, the engine out annunciator light illuminated and a full autorotation was performed which terminated in a hard landing. The main rotor subsequently contacted the tail boom severing it. Engine test runs revealed that the engine would not reach 100-percent power, remaining at 95 to 98-percent (cruise) power. The fuel control unit and power turbine governor units were tested according to current production test specifications. Minor anomalies to the test requirements were observed on both units, however, none of the anomalies were consistent with a loss of engine power. The post accident inspection and testing did not reveal any conditions which would have precluded sustained engine 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
Pilot (unmanned)
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,101 hours in all; 1,416 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 4,976 as pilot in command; 100 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,921 hours in all; 509 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 5,358 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 26,207 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C28B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UNO West Plains MO at 2:10 pm
- Destination: UNO West Plains MO
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from BPK, 41 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.