Bell Helicopter Textron 206B accident near Sandersville, Georgia, June 25, 2023
On June 25, 2023 at about 11:30 pm local time, a 1988 Bell Helicopter Textron 206B, registered N919AC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Sandersville, Georgia. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance of trees during landing, which resulted in a tail rotor contact with tree limbs 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
- June 25, 2023 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sandersville, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell Helicopter Textron 206B, built 1988 · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N919AC · registry record · serial 4020
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that while conducting agricultural spraying operations, he flew back to the fuel truck for fuel. He radioed his spotter and asked if the area was clear, and the spotter told him it was. He was attempting to land on a trailer when the tail rotor came into contact with some tree limbs and several tail rotor blades separated from the helicopter. The helicopter immediately lost tail rotor authority and began to yaw. The pilot then tried to move the helicopter away from the trailer and land on the ground. The tail rotor and gearbox separated from the helicopter before the pilot landed the helicopter on the ground. The helicopter’s empennage was substantially damaged during the accident sequence. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Loss of control in flight during maneuvering
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Awareness of condition
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,331 hours in all; 872 in this make and model; 72 in the last 90 days; 72 in the last 30 days; 7,182 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 4, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,412 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 16, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royce M250-C20 (turboshaft); 11,537 hours total
- Operator: Vertical Vegetation Management LLC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.92 inHg
- Observation at 7:30 pm from KMLJ, 24 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on August 31, 2023. 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 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigative Photo's | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N919AC the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.