Bell 206 accident near Big Pine, Florida, April 12, 2019
On April 12, 2019 at about 3:38 pm local time, a 2000 Bell 206 (helicopter), registered N173MS, was substantially damaged in an accident during standing (engine(s) operating) near Big Pine, Florida. It was a public-use flight (local) under public-use (government) rules. 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 failure to maintain helicopter control while it was being reloaded with the rotors turning in gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a rotor strike with ground equipment.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 12, 2019 · about 3:38 pm local time
- Place
- Big Pine, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206 L4, built 2000 · all 206s on the register
- Registration
- N173MS · registry record · serial 52256
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (local) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, after the fourth aerial application flight of the day, he landed and positioned the helicopter near the autoloader boom truck. He reduced engine power to flight idle, and the ground crew began the loading process. He verified that the collective position was full down and the cyclic friction was on, and he then exited the helicopter to stretch while maintaining one hand on the cyclic. The pilot reported that, immediately after, while standing next to the helicopter, he heard two "loud bangs." He immediately boarded the helicopter, the ground crew secured the truck's boom, and the pilot shut down the engine. Examination revealed that a main rotor blade had struck the truck's boom arm and that the main rotor blades sustained substantial damage. The director of aerial operations reported that there were no preaccident 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
- Loss of control on ground during standing (engine(s) operating) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during standing (engine(s) operating)
- Aircraft servicing event during standing (engine(s) operating)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Ground equipment › Effect on operation
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,212 hours in all; 1,613 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 3,610 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 4, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,039.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 20, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 4,450 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls Royce 250-C30P (turboshaft); 3,088 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MTH Marathon FL at 12:43 pm
- Destination: MTH Marathon FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 9 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 1,900 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.98 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KMTH, 18 miles away
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.