Bell 206B accident near Horseshoe Bay, Texas, May 13, 2007
On May 13, 2007 at about 12:45 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N905WP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Horseshoe Bay, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's loss of control as result of dynamic rollover while attempting to takeoff. Facrots were the landing skid becoming snagged and the soft terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 13, 2007 · about 12:45 pm local time
- Place
- Horseshoe Bay, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N905WP · registry record · serial 3224
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The 90-hour helicopter private pilot lost control of the helicopter after encountering dynamic rollover while attempting to bring the helicopter to a hover. The pilot reported that the forward portion of the right landing gear skid of the helicopter became entangled in soft and wet ground. An FAA inspector, who responded to the accident site, confirmed that the helicopter came to rest on its right side, resulting in structural damage to the airframe and the tailboom. There was no fire and the pilot was able to egress the helicopter unassisted.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 90 hours in all; 90 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 50 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250 SER (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Horseshoe Bay TX at 12:45 pm
- Destination: MAF Midland TX
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from KBMQ
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DFW07LA111.