Mbb BK-117-A3 accident near Allen, Texas, July 16, 2000
On July 16, 2000 at about 6:40 am local time, a Mbb BK-117-A3 (helicopter), registered N312LS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Allen, Texas. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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 maintain obstacle clearance while hovering the helicopter. A contributing factor was the dark night light conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 16, 2000 · about 6:40 am local time
- Place
- Allen, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mbb BK-117-A3
- Registration
- N312LS · no longer on the register · serial 7061
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial helicopter pilot terminated the night approach to a 6 to 8-foot hover, with 'trees and 2 post-box's to the right and a large ditch to the left.' The pilot hovered the helicopter sideways to the left to move away from the trees. He then started a left pedal turn to face EMS units located behind the helicopter. He had turned the helicopter approximately 120 degrees, 'when I moved backwards' and struck the trees with the tail rotor. He immediately stopped the turn and moved the helicopter forward before losing tail rotor control. As the helicopter began to spin, he 'lowered the collective and landed hard.' The tail rotor drive shaft forward of the 45 degree gearbox was sheared.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,720 hours in all; 220 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 3,540 as pilot in command; 300 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,508 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, July 5, 2000; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,055 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming LTS101-650-1 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Omniflight Helicopters, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: T57 Garland TX at 6:30 am
- Destination: NONE
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.