Bell 206L-1 accident near Ozona, Texas, August 12, 2006
On August 12, 2006 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Bell 206L-1 (helicopter), registered N601GM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ozona, Texas. It was an external-load flight under external-load helicopter rules (Part 133). 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 selection of an unsuitable terrain for landing. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 2006 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ozona, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-1 · all 206L-1s on the register
- Registration
- N601GM · registry record · serial 45638
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- External-load flight · external-load helicopter rules (Part 133)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The operator reported that the helicopter was in the area performing long-line external load operations in support of seismic activities. After landing on a uphill rocky slope the pilot rolled the throttle to idle and checked the control for stability of the landing surface. The 1,263-hour commercial pilot, who reported having accumulated a total of 48 hours in the same make and model, then exited the helicopter in an attempt to re-hook another external load bag. While the pilot was outside the helicopter, the aircraft began to slide backwards and the pilot attempted to compensate by pushing down on the toe of the landing gear skid to stop the slide. The helicopter continued to slide until the tail rotor blades made contact with a large rock outcrop. The pilot subsequently entered the helicopter and retarded the engine. The tail rotor gear box and the aft portion of the tailboom separated from the tailboom. Both tail rotor blades sustained structural damage; however, they remained attached to the tail rotor gear box. The helicopter remained in the upright position and there was no fire. The pilot reported that at the time of the mishap, the weather was clear, with winds from the southeast at 10 to 15 knots, and a temperature of 90 degrees Fahrenheit.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,263 hours in all; 48 in this make and model; 1,195 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C28B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KOZA Ozona TX
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°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.
Other NTSB records under N601GM the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.