Bell 206L4 accident near Hurst, Texas, June 18, 1998
On June 18, 1998 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Bell 206L4 (helicopter), registered N8094L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hurst, Texas (Bell Helicopter Training 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 flight instructor's failure to maintain control of the helicopter while attempting to increase the engine RPM while hovering. Factors were the prevailing high winds and the instructor's diverted attention.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 18, 1998 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Hurst, Texas · Bell Helicopter Training · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L4 · all 206L4s on the register
- Registration
- N8094L · no longer on the register · serial 52125
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor lost control of the helicopter while demonstrating the technique for recovering from a loss of tail rotor effectiveness while hovering over a helipad. After assuming the controls for the demonstration, the instructor noticed that the RPM was set too low, at 99 percent. The instructor elected to 'beep up' the RPM by stabilizing the cyclic with his left hand and 'beeping' the RPM with the right thumb. He was unsuccessful in beeping the RPM up on 2 attempts. On his last attempt, while manipulating the cyclic lever with his left hand and the RPM switch with the thumb of his right hand, and keeping his eyes on the engine tachometer, the helicopter assumed a nose high attitude while drifting backwards. The flight instructor was not able to recover the helicopter in time to avoid impact with the ground. The winds at the time of the accidents were reported from the south at 27 knots.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,470 hours in all; 117 in this make and model; 116 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 4,415 as pilot in command; 601 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 241 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 30, 1998; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,450 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C30P (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 27 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,900 ft
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from DFW, 8 miles away
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.