Bell 206 accident near Point Lookout, New York, October 21, 2020
On October 21, 2020 at about 8:12 pm local time, a 1992 Bell 206 (helicopter), registered N716VL, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Point Lookout, New York. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s decision to depart on a visual flight rules flight, and to continue that flight into forecasted and deteriorating instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) in a helicopter that was not equipped for flight in IMC, which resulted in the pilot’s spatial disorientation and a subsequent loss of control.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 21, 2020 · about 8:12 pm local time
- Place
- Point Lookout, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206 B, built 1992 · all 206s on the register
- Registration
- N716VL · registry record · serial 4203
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the helicopter departed for a visual flight rules cross-country flight but returned to the airport shortly after takeoff upon encountering instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), which had been forecast. The pilot elected to depart again under special visual flight rules after hearing another pilot report indicating that the ceiling was between 800 and 1,000 ft. The helicopter was not equipped for flight in IMC. About 12 minutes after takeoff, the pilot informed air traffic control that he intended to return to the departure airport after encountering IMC. Automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast data showed that, during that part of the flight, the helicopter made numerous heading deviations in both directions (mostly to the right). While traveling back to the airport in IMC, the pilot heard a loud sound coming from the tail of the helicopter followed immediately by yawing in a clockwise direction, which was not corrected by the pilot’s anti-torque pedal input. The helicopter descended into shallow water, coming to rest upright. Although the pilot believed that the tail rotor had failed or malfunctioned, a postaccident examination of the helicopter’s anti-torque system revealed no evidence of any preimpact failure or malfunction. The pilot’s perceived malfunction of the tail rotor, which occurred while the helicopter was flying at low airspeed, was likely the result of the pilot’s spatial disorientation, which began after he encountered IMC.
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
- VFR encounter with IMC during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusion › Spatial disorientation › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Below VFR minima › Decision related to condition
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Yaw control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,570 hours in all; 144 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 2,254 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 1, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,933.7 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 1, 2020
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FRG Farmingdale NY at 7:46 pm
- Destination: PS01 Croydon PA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 0.5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 300 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 3:51 pm from KJFK, 9 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KJFK 211951Z 16009KT 1/2SM R04R/P6000FT BR BKN003 OVC012 19/17 A3023 RMK AO2 SFC VIS 1 1/2 SLP236 T01890172 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
10 documents, released by the NTSB on October 11, 2022. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of NTSB Conversations | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 3 | FAA Inspector Statement | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Meteorology Specialist's Factual Report | PDF, 13 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Google Earth Plots of ADS-B Data for the Accident Flight | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 6 | ADS-B Raw Data for Accident Flight | spreadsheet | Download |
| 7 | Chronological Summary of Flight Communications | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 8 | NTSB Prepared Partial Transcription of Communications | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 9 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 10 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | 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.