Bell 206-L3 accident near Willcox, Arizona, April 23, 2001
On April 23, 2001 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Bell 206-L3 (helicopter), registered N215M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Willcox, Arizona. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A loss of engine power due to the likely unporting of the fuel tank pickups as the helicopter was maneuvered to look at animals on the ground. Also causal was the pilot's misjudged touchdown point during an autorotational approach, which resulted in the in-flight impact with a tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 23, 2001 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Willcox, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206-L3 · all 206-L3s on the register
- Registration
- N215M · registry record · serial 51272
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The single engine helicopter impacted trees and terrain during a forced landing following a reported loss of engine power. According to the crew's statements, during the positioning flight back to their hospital base one of the flight nurses spotted a herd of antelope and pointed them out to the pilot. The pilot turned toward the herd. As he slowed down and maneuvered the helicopter to view the animals he detected the engine out audio warning and corresponding engine out warning light. The pilot noticed the rotor rpm dropping and he looked at the engine turbine outlet temperature gauge to verify that the engine had lost power. He added that he could no longer hear the engine. The pilot lowered the collective at 500 feet agl, and entered an autorotation. The pilot noticed the rotor rpm was in the low 90's at the time of autorotation entry. The pilot selected a landing area and informed the cabin crew that this was for real and to brace themselves. As the helicopter decelerated, the pilot rolled the throttle to the off position. When the pilot realized that he was going to impact a tree, he pulled up on collective to cushion the landing. The helicopter impacted the tree, then the ground, and came to rest upright in flat desert terrain covered with scrub brush. Photographs taken at the accident site revealed open areas void of trees surrounding the landing spot. The helicopter was examined and nothing was noted that would have precluded normal operation. A post-accident test run of the engine revealed no anomalies during repeated accelerations and decelerations. The engine's measured power output exceeded new engine specifications. The engine was not equipped with an auto reignition system.
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, military
- Ratings: instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,980 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 4,506 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 26, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,596.2 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 8, 2001; 72.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C30P (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Critical Air Medicine, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: TUS Tucson AZ at 9:00 pm
- Destination: P33 Willcox AZ
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from TUS, 42 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.