Bell 429 accident near Georgetown, Delaware, July 11, 2016
On July 11, 2016 at about 10:50 pm local time, a 2013 Bell 429 (helicopter), registered N1SP, was involved in an accident during maneuvering (hover) near Georgetown, Delaware (Delaware Coastal airport). It was a public-use flight (state) under public-use (government) rules. 1 person was killed; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The emergency response team's failure to ensure that the system operator was secured to the helicopter, which resulted in his fall during the recurrent rescue hoist training operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 11, 2016 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Georgetown, Delaware · Delaware Coastal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 429, built 2013 · all 429s on the register
- Registration
- N1SP · registry record · serial 57184
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Public-use flight (state) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The purpose of the flight was for an emergency response team to complete recurrent rescue hoist training from the helicopter. The three-person team included a rescue specialist, a system operator, and a safety officer. Each crewmember needed to complete 3 evolutions in each position to complete the recurrent training. During an evolution, the system operator would be positioned on the helicopter's skid while the rescue specialist would be lowered from, then picked up and brought back into, the helicopter as it hovered about 100 ft above ground level. After three evolutions, the pilot would land the helicopter; the crew would rotate positions and restart the process. According to a rescue checklist, the security of each member's safety harness was checked before each takeoff. The accident flight was the seventh evolution of the day, and the first flight where the fatally-injured crewmember acted as the system operator. The safety officer and rescue specialist reported they checked and verified that the restraints were secure. The helicopter then lifted off the ground, moved to the practice area, and the system operator requested and was granted permission by the pilot to move to the helicopter skid. The system operator stepped onto the skid and fell from the helicopter. The pilot stated that throughout the accident sequence, the crew was not rushing while they completed the checklists. Examination of the system operator's equipment did not reveal any failures or malfunctions that would explain the fall. Additionally, examination of the tether to the helicopter did not reveal any abnormalities. In the absence of any equipment failure, it is likely that the system operator was not fastened to the helicopter.
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
- Miscellaneous/other during maneuvering (hover)
- External load event (Rotorcraft) during maneuvering (hover) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incomplete action › Other/unknown
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Other/unknown
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Equipment/furnishings › Agricultural/external load sys › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 766 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 164 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: March 14, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney Canada Ltd. PW207D1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney Canada Ltd. PW207D1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: State Of Delaware
The flight
- Departed from: GED Georgetown DE at 10:45 pm
- Destination: GED Georgetown DE
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from GED
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 3 |
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 ERA16LA253.