Bell 206B3 accident near Lakeland, Florida, September 5, 2007
On September 5, 2007 at about 7:15 pm local time, a Bell 206B3 (helicopter), registered N267MW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lakeland, Florida (Lakeland Linder Regional airport). It was a business 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
The failure of company maintenance personnel to replace the tail rotor drive shafts following tail rotor blade damage in 1999, the failure of maintenance personnel to replace the tail rotor drive shafts in 2004, following their knowledge that the tail rotor blades and hub were scrapped due to tail rotor blade damage, and improper inspection and return to service by an FAA approved repair station for their failure to condemn the tail rotor drive shafts in 2004, all of which resulted in failure of the No. 5 tail rotor drive shaft during approach for landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 5, 2007 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Lakeland, Florida · Lakeland Linder Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B3 · all 206B3s on the register
- Registration
- N267MW · registry record · serial 3149
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
At the start of applying up collective for landing in the Bell 206B3 helicopter, the helicopter began an uncommanded yaw to the right due to failure of the No. 5 tail rotor driveshaft. The helicopter landed hard causing substantial damage to the fuselage structure near the left aft cross tube attach point. The forward fitting of the No.5 tail rotor drive shaft exhibited bond area separation between the splined adapter and the shaft, with subsequent rotation. Cream and green colored adhesives were noted at the seam at the aft edge of the splined adapter, and red colored compound similar to torque paint was noted in the area of the green colored adhesive. Disturbed adhesive and remnants of old clear coat was noted at the seam of the fixed coupling adapter on the aft end of the drive shaft. Disassembly inspection of the No. 5 tail rotor drive shaft driveshaft revealed rotational scoring on the outer surface of the shaft tube and inner surface of the splined adapter at the forward end of driveshaft assembly. In May 1999, the helicopter was involved in a tail rotor sudden stoppage which resulted in damage to at least one tail rotor blade, and tail rotor hub and blades being "…scrapped due to [tail rotor] sudden stoppage." The tail rotor driveshafts were not replaced at that time as required by the maintenance manual, and remained installed until 2004, when they were removed for inspection due to the occurrence in May 1999. The tail rotor drive shafts were inspected and approved for return to service in 2004, by the same facility that had scrapped the tail rotor blades in 1999, which is contrary to the maintenance manual. The driveshafts were reinstalled, and at the time of the accident, the No. 5 tail rotor driveshaft had accumulated 245.8 hours since inspection, and 4,087.4 hours since new. NTSB review of photographs of the tail rotor blades installed in May 1999, revealed evidence of buckling of the skin near the tip of both blades.
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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,414 hours in all; 2,117 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 6,266 as pilot in command; 1,463 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,087.4 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 1, 2007; 96.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Tiger Aviation Sales LLC
The flight
- Departed from: Oldsmar FL at 6:45 pm
- Destination: KLAL Lakeland FL
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from KLAL
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.
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.