Bell 206A accident near Brutus, New York, January 5, 2000
On January 5, 2000 at about 7:08 pm local time, a Bell 206A (helicopter), registered N206GR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brutus, New York. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Was the pilot's failure to maintain directional control after encountering a loss of tail rotor effectiveness.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 5, 2000 · about 7:08 pm local time · cases in 2000
- Place
- Brutus, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206A · all 206As on the register
- Registration
- N206GR · registry record · serial 615
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting an aerial observation of powerlines with three passengers onboard. The pilot stated he was heading westbound checking a cross arm at a slow hover. He then began to accelerate and turned east about 100 feet above the ground when a gust of wind pushed against the helicopter and the helicopter began to rotate to the right. The pilot attempted to accelerate into the wind to no avail and the aircraft 'corkscrewed' down into the ground. On the ground, the helicopter rolled on to its right side. Winds were reported out of the west at 280 degrees at 16 knots gusting to 22 knots 15 miles east of the accident site. No pre-impact deficiencies were reported with the engine or airframe.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,844 hours in all; 216 in this make and model; 109 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 2,400 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,261 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 24, 1999; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250 C-20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PED Penn Yan NY at 6:00 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 16 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,400 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:45 pm from SYR, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N206GR the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N206GR on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Bell 206 JetRanger and LongRanger 1,453 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Bell 3,080 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Allison 250 C-20 54 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in New York 1,964 since 1982 · 249 in the last ten years
- New York 6,663 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N206GR 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/IAD00LA015.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.