Bell XV-15 301 accident near Arlington, Texas, August 20, 1992
On August 20, 1992 at about 4:03 pm local time, a Bell XV-15 301, registered N702NA, was destroyed in an accident near Arlington, Texas (Arlington Muni airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND INSPECTION WHICH RESULTED IN A DISCONNECTED PROPROTOR GOVERNOR LINKAGE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 20, 1992 · about 4:03 pm local time
- Place
- Arlington, Texas · Arlington Muni
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell XV-15 301
- Registration
- N702NA · no longer on the register · serial 0001
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A DEMONSTRATION FLIGHT OF THE TILTROTOR AIRCRAFT, THE LEFT PROPROTOR GOVERNOR DISCONNECTED DUE TO A MISSING SAFETY ON THE CASTELLATED NUT THAT SECURES THE PROPROTOR TO THE GOVERNOR LINKAGE. WHEN THE GOVERNOR DISCONNECTED, THE PROPELLER SURGED TO THE MAXIMUM PITCH SETTING AND ROLLED THE AIRCRAFT AROUND THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS. FLIGHT DATA RECORDINGS INDICATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A ROLL TO THE RIGHT THAT BEGAN SLOWLY AND ACCELERATED TO THE INVERTED POSITION IN LESS THAN 3 SECONDS. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND INVERTED. NEITHER OCCUPANT COULD EGRESS WITHOUT ASSISTANCE DUE TO INCONSISTENT INSTRUCTIONS FOR EMERGENCY EGRESS.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,800 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 7,500 as pilot in command; 300 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 841 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 9, 1992; 81 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 13,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming LTC1K-4K (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ARL at 3:30 pm
- Destination: ARL
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from DFW, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.