Bell 206B accident near Minden, Nevada, September 9, 1997
On September 9, 1997 at about 10:35 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N90115, was substantially damaged in an accident near Minden, Nevada (Douglas County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A hard landing due to the failure of the pilot to adequately compensate for the wind direction and velocity on initiating his approach to the landing area, resulting in a loss of tail rotor authority.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 9, 1997 · about 10:35 pm local time
- Place
- Minden, Nevada · Douglas County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N90115 · no longer on the register · serial 1601
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The helicopter landed hard and a main rotor blade separated and struck a parked airplane. At the time of the accident the winds were 190 to 250 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 23 knots. As the pilot continued his approach to the landing pad in a northeasterly direction, the helicopter yawed to the right and the pilot applied full left pedal and pulled collective. The pilot stated that the engine was running fine, and he had experienced 'no unusual noise,' and that he had 'run out of tail rotor.' Review of a relative wind chart shows the helicopter's heading during the approach to the pad placed it in an area of the chart where unanticipated right yaw might occur.
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, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,159 hours in all; 259 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 1,027 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,646 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 28, 1997; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TRK Truckee CA at 9:50 pm
- Destination: MEV NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 15 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 |
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.