Bell 206L-3 accident near Tuscumbia, Alabama, July 29, 2026
On July 29, 2026 at about 3:08 pm local time, a 1986 Bell 206L-3 (helicopter), registered N29AE, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Tuscumbia, Alabama. It was a business flight under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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 failure to keep the tail rotor clear of an obstacle while attempting to land.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 2026 · about 3:08 pm local time · cases in 2026
- Place
- Tuscumbia, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-3, built 1986 · all 206L-3s on the register
- Registration
- N29AE · registry record · serial 51191
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was making a right pedal turn in an attempt to land on the helipad when the tail rotor struck a standpipe on the fuel farm. The helicopter began to become unstable, but the pilot immediately lowered the collective and the helicopter landed upright on the helipad. Neither the pilot nor the two crew members were injured. Postaccident examination of the helicopter revealed damage to the tail rotor blades and substantial damage to the tail rotor gear box. The operator reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures of 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 during takeoff/land during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Ground equipment › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,888.6 hours in all; 752 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 3.9 in the last 30 days; 2,823 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 5, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 20,371 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, July 27, 2026
- Maximum gross weight: 4,450 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls Royce RR-250-C30P (turboshaft); 13,105 hours total
- Operator: Air Evac Ems INC
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 79°F (26°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 am from MSL, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Passengers | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on October 15, 2026. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Written Statement - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Written Statements - Crew | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Investigation Photos | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 5 | Surveillance Video Courtesy Air Evac | video | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N29AE on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Bell 206 JetRanger and LongRanger 1,453 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Bell 3,080 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Rolls Royce RR-250-C30P · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in Alabama 1,211 since 1982 · 173 in the last ten years
- Alabama 4,353 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA26LA285.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.