Bell 206B accident near Sao Paulo, Br, January 21, 2013
On January 21, 2013 at about 2:48 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered PRJBN, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sao Paulo (Sao Paulo/Patriarca Heliport airport). It was an aerial observation flight under non-U.S. private rules. 2 people were killed and 2 people had minor injuries.
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
- January 21, 2013 · about 2:48 pm local time
- Place
- Sao Paulo, Brazil · Sao Paulo/Patriarca Heliport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- PRJBN · no longer on the register · serial 4661
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · non-U.S. private rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On January 21, 2013, at 1448 universal coordinated time, a Bell Helicopter 206B, Brazilian registration PR-JBN, sustained substantial damage when it impacted a dwelling. One crewmember and one passenger received fatal injuries and the two other passengers received minor injuries. The flight departed from the Sao Paulo/Edifício Banespa - Patriarca Heliport (SDNP), State of Sao Paulo, Brazil, for a local flight to conduct inspection and mapping of green areas. This accident investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Aeronautical Accident Prevention and Investigation Center (CENIPA) of Brazil. Any further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Aeronautical Accident Investigation and Prevention Center CENIPA SHIS – QI 05-VI Comar Brasília-DF, Brazil 71.615-600 Telephone: (55-61) 3364-8838 Fax: (55-61) 3365-1004 dac.saai@cenipa.aer.mil.br This report is for informational purposes and contains only information released by the Government of Brazil.
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
- Unknown or undetermined during unknown defining event
Crew member
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: SDNP Sao Paulo
- Destination: SDNP Sao Paulo
- 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 | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.