Bell 206B accident near Horseshoe Bend, Missouri, April 16, 1995
On April 16, 1995 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N729CH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Horseshoe Bend, Missouri. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to untie the main rotor tie-down strap prior to starting the helicopter.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 16, 1995 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Horseshoe Bend, Missouri · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N729CH · no longer on the register · serial 4240
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
UPON LANDING AT HIS PRIVATE HELIPAD THE PILOT TIED DOWN THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES IN A MANNER DIFFERENT THAN USUAL. DURING HIS PREFLIGHT FOR DEPARTURE, HE UNTIED THE SKIDS BUT FORGOT TO UNTIE THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES. HE STARTED THE ENGINE WITH THE BLADES TIED DOWN. ONE BLADE BROKE 3 FEET FROM THE PIVOT ATTACHMENT AND THE HELICOPTER SWUNG AROUND 90 DEGREES ON THE HELIPAD. THE TAILBOOM AND FUSELAGE WERE ALSO DAMAGED.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,813 hours in all; 62 in this make and model; 59 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 2,580 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 835 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison A250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: St Louis MO
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 4,100 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 pm from AIZ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.