Bell 230 accident near Ann Arbor, Michigan, September 9, 1995
On September 9, 1995 at about 5:17 pm local time, a Bell 230 (helicopter), registered N232UM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ann Arbor, Michigan (Ann Arbor Municipal airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the manufacturer's inadequate quality control which led to a fatigue failure of the tail rotor blade.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 9, 1995 · about 5:17 pm local time
- Place
- Ann Arbor, Michigan · Ann Arbor Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 230 · all 230s on the register
- Registration
- N232UM · no longer on the register · serial 23013
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While in cruise flight the helicopter sustained the loss of the entire tail rotor system. The helicopter landed successfully with no additional damage or any injuries. Examination revealed the loss was initiated by a fatigue crack in the skin of one of the tail rotor blades. The manufacturer determined that a manufacturing process used in making the blades initiated the fatigue failure due to a grinding process which removed material from the tail rotor skin.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,200 hours in all; 385 in this make and model; 71 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 4,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,188 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, September 5, 1995; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C30-6/2 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Corporate Jets, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: NONE MI at 4:12 pm
- Destination: NONE Toledo OH
- Runway 24, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 pm from ARB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.