Bell 206B accident near Salinas, California, June 29, 2001
On June 29, 2001 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N2269A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Salinas, California (Salinas Municipal airport). It was an instructional 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
the student's improper use of the cyclic controls and his failure to relinquish aircraft control, and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 29, 2001 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Salinas, California · Salinas Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2269A · registry record · serial 3608
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter rolled over onto its right side after the student pilot improperly positioned the cyclic control during liffoff to a hover. According to the instructor, the student was lifting the helicopter into a hover when he applied slight right cyclic. The instructor reported he was guarding the controls at the time, and announced verbally he had the controls. As he attempted to lower the collective and center the cyclic, he noticed the student still had his hands on the controls and was continuing with a right cyclic input and increase in collective. The helicopter subsequently rolled onto its right side.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SNS Salinas CA
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,100 ft; clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 pm from SNS, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.