Bell 206B-3 accident near Hinkley, Minnesota, September 12, 1998
On September 12, 1998 at about 9:55 pm local time, a Bell 206B-3 (helicopter), registered N52BH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hinkley, Minnesota. It was a public-use 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
Loss of engine power due to failure of the engine governor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 12, 1998 · about 9:55 pm local time
- Place
- Hinkley, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B-3 · all 206B-3s on the register
- Registration
- N52BH · registry record · serial 1652
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the fire fighting helicopter had just filled the slung water bucket and started to climb. According to the pilot, the helicopter's engine began losing power and rotor RPM as it entered translational lift. The pilot said he jettisoned the water and '...nursed...' the helicopter to the shoreline. During the forced landing the tail rotor struck a steel fence post. The helicopter began to spin and the pilot autorotated to a landing. The engine was test run. The engine's governor differential between pneumatic and governor produced air was 5.7-percent below the low limit. Examination of the governor revealed worn spring ends and spring mounts in the cam follower's lever arm and the spring retainer assembly.
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; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,175 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,392 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, July 28, 1998
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N/A MN
- Destination: N/A
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.