Bell 206-L4 accident near Daytona Beach, Florida, June 20, 2001
On June 20, 2001 at about 2:26 pm local time, a Bell 206-L4 (helicopter), registered N802DS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Daytona Beach, Florida (Daytona Beach International airport). It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the pilot to maintain directional control following a hard landing resulting from a failure to maintain rotor rpm.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 20, 2001 · about 2:26 pm local time
- Place
- Daytona Beach, Florida · Daytona Beach International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206-L4 · all 206-L4s on the register
- Registration
- N802DS · registry record · serial 52052
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the flight was a Federal Air Regulations, (FAR) Part 135.293 check ride being administered by the Federal Aviation Administration. The FAA check pilot was occupying the left seat. They had completed two successful autorotations with power recovery at the Ormond Beach Airport, and were conducting the accident autorotation as a final landing at the completion of the check ride. He stated he was a little high for the chosen touchdown spot, and performed "S" turns to lose altitude. When he started a deceleration and rolled throttle on, the rotorcraft continued to descend and suffered a hard touchdown and bounce. On the second touchdown, the rotorcraft began a right yaw and teetered between left and right landing skids until the main rotor impacted the runway and rolled over.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,089 hours in all; 6,350 in this make and model; 199 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 7,688 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 1, 1999
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Pilot (unmanned)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,625.2 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 15, 2001; 21.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,450 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C30P (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OMN Ormond Beach FL at 2:21 pm
- Destination: DAB Daytona Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 2:27 pm from DAB, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.