Bell 206B accident near Hurst, Texas, May 7, 2003
On May 7, 2003 at about 3:25 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N81519, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hurst, Texas (Bell Helicopter Aux Heliport airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 improper flare by the pilot receiving instruction, which resulted in the hard landing. A contributing factor was the flight instructor's inadequate supervision.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 7, 2003 · about 3:25 pm local time
- Place
- Hurst, Texas · Bell Helicopter Aux Heliport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N81519 · registry record · serial 4498
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor demonstrated an out of ground effect (OGE) autorotation from 500 feet agl and 0 knots. The pilot receiving instruction was then requested to perform an OGE autorotation from 500 feet agl and 0 knots. During the pilot's second OGE autorotation, he "rolled the throttle off and moved the cyclic slightly forward." The airspeed did not climb above 45 knots and an excessive rate of descent was encountered. The pilot used almost no cyclic to flare the helicopter; however, he pulled "all collective available" prior to touchdown. The helicopter touched down hard.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,299 hours in all; 4,000 in this make and model; 95 in the last 90 days; 37 in the last 30 days; 5,095 as pilot in command; 1,044 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 3, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,400 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,019.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 15, 2003; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20J (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0TE2 Hurst TX at 2:55 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,200 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.