Bell 206L-4 accident near Fort Worth, Texas, January 25, 2006
On January 25, 2006 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Bell 206L-4 (helicopter), registered N225GH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Worth, Texas. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructors failure to maintain main rotor RPM and improper flare, which resulted in a hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 25, 2006 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Worth, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-4 · all 206L-4s on the register
- Registration
- N225GH · registry record · serial 52143
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 11,500-hour helicopter flight instructor reported that he was instructing a 9,500-hour airline transport rated pilot at a private training runway (2,000-feet long by 75-feet wide asphalt runway). During a practice autorotation, the flight instructor stated that the helicopter experienced a hard landing as a result of low rotor RPM during touchdown. The flight instructor also reported that there were no abnormalities with the helicopter's flight controls, or engine at the time of the accident. The winds at the time of the accident were reported as light and variable. The density altitude was estimated at 750-feet mean sea level (MSL).
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,500 hours in all; 750 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 11,125 as pilot in command; 5,520 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,500 hours in all; 25 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 4,250 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison C250-130P (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KAFW Fort Worth TX at 8:45 pm
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from AFW, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.