Bell 206B accident near Prattville, Alabama, October 16, 2014
On October 16, 2014 at about 8:15 pm local time, a 1974 Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N59541, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (hover) near Prattville, Alabama (Prattville airport). It was an aerial observation 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 pilot's improper fuel planning, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 16, 2014 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Prattville, Alabama · Prattville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B B, built 1974 · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N59541 · no longer on the register · serial 1412
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter pilot stated that the purpose of the approximate 2-hour cross-country flight was to perform aerial mapping of powerlines. The helicopter was due for a fuel pump replacement at the end of the flight and maintenance personnel requested that the pilot land with as little fuel as possible. He departed with 60 gallons of fuel and thought he would land with about 10 gallons; however, the flight took longer than the pilot anticipated. About 2 hours, 15 minutes into the flight, as the helicopter was in a 50-foot hover over the destination airport, the engine lost all power. The pilot performed an autorotation to a taxiway, but the helicopter landed hard and the tailboom separated. The pilot added that the accident would not have happened if he followed the Federal Aviation Regulation minimum fuel requirements and had properly calculated time and fuel consumption. The pilot also reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions with the helicopter and examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector did not reveal any.
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
- Fuel exhaustion during maneuvering (hover) defining event
- Loss of engine power (total) during maneuvering (hover)
- Autorotation Hard landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Planning/preparation › Fuel planning › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Fuel › Fluid level
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,861 hours in all; 1,855 in this make and model; 68 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 3,692 as pilot in command; 759 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 31, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 23,629 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 11, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 SER (turboshaft); 10,429 hours total
- Operator: English Air Service INC
The flight
- Departed from: PLR Pell City AL at 6:00 pm
- Destination: 1A9 Prattville AL
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.93 inHg
- Observation at 8:15 pm from 1A9
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on December 9, 2014. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation - FAA | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo 1 - Main Wreckage (Photo Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.