Bell 206 accident near Kahramanmaras City, Tr, March 25, 2009
On March 25, 2009, a Bell 206 (helicopter), registered TCHEK, was destroyed in an accident near Kahramanmaras City. It was flown under non-U.S. commercial rules. 6 people were killed.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 25, 2009
- Place
- Kahramanmaras City, Türkiye
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 6 people were killed.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Bell 206 L4 · all 206s on the register
- Registration
- TCHEK · no longer on the register · serial 52215
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · non-U.S. commercial rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On March 25, 2009, an Bell 206, registration TC-HEK, crashed in mountainous terrain near Kahramanmaras City, Turkey. The pilot and five passengers onboard were fatally injured and aircraft was destroyed. The investigation is being conducted by the Turkish Accident Investigation Board. The NTSB has assigned an Accredited Representative to assist the investigation under the provisions of ICAO Annex 13.
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
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Esas Air
The flight
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.