Bell 206B-III accident near Meeker, Colorado, June 2, 1995
On June 2, 1995 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Bell 206B-III (helicopter), registered N85RP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Meeker, Colorado. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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
FAILURE BY THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING LANDING. A FACTOR WAS SOFT TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 2, 1995 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Meeker, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B-III · all 206B-IIIs on the register
- Registration
- N85RP · no longer on the register · serial 1654
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF THE CANOPY FOGGED OVER AND THE PILOT MADE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING BY LOOKING OUT THE SIDE WINDOW. THE LEFT SKID SETTLED IN THE SNOW AND THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED LEFT APPROXIMATELY 30 DEGREES. A MAIN ROTOR BLADE SEVERED THE TAIL BOOM, THE MAIN ROTOR SHAFT FRACTURED, AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE PENETRATED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE CABIN.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 17,000 hours in all; 8,000 in this make and model; 61 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 16,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,454 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 18, 1995; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,150 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Department Of The Interior
The flight
- Departed from: 2V3 CO at 4:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.