Bell 206B accident near Ft. Worth, Texas, May 4, 1987
On May 4, 1987 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N5754A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ft. Worth, Texas (Bell Training Strip 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 1987 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ft. Worth, Texas · Bell Training Strip
- 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
- N5754A · no longer on the register · serial 3134
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE DEMONSTRATING A LOW LEVEL 180 DEGREE AUTOROTATION TO A RATED PILOT, THE CFI UNDERSHOT HIS INTENDED TOUCHDOWN POINT. IN AN ATTEMPT TO REACH HIS SELECTED TOUCHDOWN POINT, THE PILOT ALLOWED THE ROTOR RPM TO DECAY AND THE AIRCRAFT DEVELOPED A HIGH SINK RATE. THE PILOT THEN ATTEMPTED A POWER RECOVERY BUT WAS LATE WITH THE CORRECTIVE ACTION. THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE WHEN IT CONTACTED THE GROUND AND BOUNCED TWICE BEFORE COMING TO REST ON ITS RIGHT SIDE.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,056 hours in all; 6,000 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 10,603 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,163 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 23, 1987; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 1,700 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 8 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 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.