Bell 206 accident near Christmas Island, PO, October 20, 2015
On October 20, 2015 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 1971 Bell 206 (helicopter), registered N1060C, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Christmas Island, PO. It was an other work-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate preflight inspection and the maintenance crew's failure to remove the tie down.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 20, 2015 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Christmas Island, PO · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206 B, built 1971 · all 206s on the register
- Registration
- N1060C · no longer on the register · serial 1090
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter was operating from the deck of a fishing vessel. When the helicopter is not in use, it is secured to the deck by four straps secured to the skids of the helicopter. The pilot of the helicopter reported that he entered the helicopter for takeoff while the mechanic removed the tie downs from the helicopter. The pilot reported that when he tried to takeoff, one of the tie downs was still attached to the helicopter and the helicopter rolled to the right and impacted the helipad. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor, mast, and tail boom. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Preflight or dispatch event during takeoff
- Roll over during takeoff defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Forgotten action/omission › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 9,649 hours in all; 288 in this make and model
- Last flight review: April 8, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 19,064 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, October 21, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 3,095 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C20B (turboshaft); 17,680 hours total
- Operator: Silla CO.
The flight
- Departed from: Christmas Island PO at 7:00 pm
- Destination: Christmas Island PO
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.