Bell 206 accident near San Diego, California, August 27, 2019
On August 27, 2019 at about 9:10 pm local time, a 1981 Bell 206 (helicopter), registered N218GH, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near San Diego, California (Gillespie Field). It was a business 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 pilot's failure to maintain yaw and pitch control while repositioning the helicopter, which resulted in dynamic rollover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 27, 2019 · about 9:10 pm local time · cases in 2019
- Place
- San Diego, California · Gillespie Field · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206 B, built 1981 · all 206s on the register
- Registration
- N218GH · no longer on the register · serial 3470
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, after landing the helicopter on the landing platform, he decided to reposition it on the platform. He said that he increased the collective and that it "felt as if the nose was turning or yawing to the right." To correct the right yaw, he applied left pedal, but the helicopter continued moving right. The helicopter rolled to the right, the main rotor blades struck the ground, and the helicopter came to rest on its right side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main and tail rotor drive systems. The pilot 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
- Dynamic rollover during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Yaw control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,313 hours in all; 392 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 2,238 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 10, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 15,412 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 8, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls Royce 250C20 (turboshaft); 6,492 hours total
- Operator: Angel City Air, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: SEE San Diego CA at 8:25 pm
- Destination: SEE San Diego CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.82 inHg
- Observation at 9:20 pm from KSEE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on January 9, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo | PDF, 1 page · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N218GH: not on the register today · the record of its deregistration
- Bell 206 JetRanger and LongRanger 1,453 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Bell 3,080 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Rolls Royce 250C20 42 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Gillespie Field · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in California 9,080 since 1982 · 1,096 in the last ten years
- California 28,279 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/GAA19CA519.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.