Bell 206B accident near Winnebago, Illinois, May 12, 1994
On May 12, 1994 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N49585, was substantially damaged in an accident near Winnebago, Illinois. It was a business 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 wire strike due to failure to maintain proper altitude, and improper visual lookout by the pilot-in-command.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 12, 1994 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Winnebago, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N49585 · no longer on the register · serial 1754
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS FLYING THE HELICOPTER BELOW THE TREE LINE ABOUT 30 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND WHILE FOLLOWING SOME CARS ON THE HIGHWAY. HE ATTEMPTED A SHARP PULL-UP TO AVOID SOME POWER LINES ACROSS THE HIGHWAY, BUT THE HELICOPTER STRUCK THE WIRES. THE PILOT EXECUTED AN AUTOROTATION TO A FIELD NORTH OF THE HIGHWAY. THE HELICOPTER ROLLED-OVER AFTER TOUCHDOWN.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,750 hours in all; 25 in the last 30 days; 7,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,795 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 30, 1994; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RFD Rockford IL at 5:15 pm
- Destination: 77LL Galena IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:49 pm from RFD, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.