Bell 206L-3 accident near Norte De Santander, CO, May 23, 2011
On May 23, 2011 at about 9:05 pm local time, a Bell 206L-3 (helicopter), registered HK4448, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering near Norte De Santander. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under non-U.S. private rules. 2 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
- May 23, 2011 · about 9:05 pm local time
- Place
- Norte De Santander, Colombia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-3 · all 206L-3s on the register
- Registration
- HK4448 · no longer on the register · serial 51479
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · non-U.S. private rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On May 23, 2011, about 2105 Universal Coordinated Time (UTC), a Bell 206L-3, Columbian registration HK4448, operated by Aviheco S.A., was destroyed following a collision with terrain near Norte de Santander, Columbia. The local flight originated in Bogota. The two crewmembers were killed. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the government of Colombia. Further information can be obtained from: Grupo de Investigacion de Accidentes Unidad Administrativa Especial de Aeronautica Civil Avenida Eldorado # 103-23 Bogota, Colombia Telephone: 57-1-2662210 This report is for informational purposes and contains only information released by the Government of Columbia.
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
What happened, in order
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during maneuvering defining event
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: Bogota
- Destination: Norte De Santander
- 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 | 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.