Bell 206L-1 accident near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, August 27, 1995
On August 27, 1995 at about 11:49 pm local time, a Bell 206L-1 (helicopter), registered N2070Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE LOW SIDE OF THE TURBINE GOVERNOR. A FACTOR THE LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR THE FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 27, 1995 · about 11:49 pm local time
- Place
- Oklahoma City, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-1 · all 206L-1s on the register
- Registration
- N2070Z · no longer on the register · serial 45730
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER LANDING THE EMS HELICOPTER AT THE ROOF TOP HELIPAD, THE PILOT WAS INFORMED THAT THE HOSPITALS' ELEVATOR WAS INOPERATIVE AND THE STAIRWAY WOULD NOT ACCOMMODATE THE INCUBATOR. FOLLOWING THE TAKEOFF, A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURRED, AND THE PILOT INITIATED AN AUTOROTATION. BELOW THE HELICOPTER WAS A FULL PARKING LOT, A STREET, AND TREES. THE PILOT FLARED THE HELICOPTER OVER THE TREES AND RECALLED LOWERING THE PITCH AND APPLYING FORWARD CYCLIC IN AN ATTEMPT TO REGAIN RPM AND AIRSPEED. THE HELICOPTER TOUCHED DOWN IN AN UNEVEN FIELD AND SKIDDED 30 YARDS BEFORE COMING TO REST. DAMAGE OCCURRED TO THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER WINGLETS, MAIN ROTOR BLADES, REAR LANDING GEAR CROSSTUBE, AND THE TAILROTOR DRIVESHAFT COVER. THE COMPANY REPORTED A 'LOW SIDE GOVERNOR FAILURE' AS THE CAUSE OF THE POWER LOSS.
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
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 7,583 hours in all; 2,500 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 6,850 as pilot in command; 660 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,953 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, August 23, 1995; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C28 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Hugo OK at 10:28 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N2070Z the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.