Bell 206B accident near Broomfield, Colorado, August 1, 2007
On August 1, 2007 at about 10:35 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N568TD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Broomfield, Colorado (Rocky Mountain Metropolitan airport). It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the helicopter, resulting in an inadvertent dynamic rollover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 2007 · about 10:35 pm local time
- Place
- Broomfield, Colorado · Rocky Mountain Metropolitan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N568TD · no longer on the register · serial 2976
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, this was his sixth sightseeing flight of the day. He had just landed and three passengers disembarked. Three other passengers boarded the helicopter. As the pilot brought the throttle to full rpm and increased torque, the helicopter turned left about 15 degrees. Approximately 3 inches of opposite pedal was used to bring the helicopter back to its original heading. The pilot continued to increase torque and as the skids started to come off the ground, the nose pitched up rapidly and the helicopter rolled to the right. The left skid was about 3 inches off the ground during the yaw. The right skid never left the ground. Full forward and left cyclic had no effect. The pilot then lowered collective and tried to roll off the throttle. The helicopter rolled right until the main rotor blades contacted the ground. A piece of main rotor blade struck a nearby hangar. The pilot reported no control anomalies and a subsequent examination revealed no discrepancies. FAA's "Rotorcraft Flying Handbook" (FAA-H-8083-21) defines "dynamic rollover" as "the tendency of a helicopter to continue rolling when the critical angle is exceeded, if one gear is on the ground, and the helicopter is pivoting around that point."
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; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 17,867 hours in all; 106 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 16,246 as pilot in command; 10,095 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,353 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls Royce 250-620B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BJC Broomfield CO at 10:35 pm
- Destination: BJC
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from BJC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.