Bell 206B accident near Culebra, Puerto Rico, September 22, 1995
On September 22, 1995 at about 11:50 am local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N2280N, was destroyed in an accident near Culebra, Puerto Rico. It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the failure of company maintenance personnel to insure the tail rotor gearbox attach bolts were properly torqued.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 1995 · about 11:50 am local time
- Place
- Culebra, Puerto Rico
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N2280N · no longer on the register · serial 3633
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While in cruise flight at 800 feet the pilot felt a high frequency shutter and growl. The shutter increased and the helicopter yawed to the right. An autorotation was performed, and upon landing on the water the main rotor blades severed the tailboom and helicopter rolled to the right and partially sank. Postcrash examination of the helicopter showed the tail rotor gear box and tail rotor had separated and were not recovered. Damage indicated the tail rotor gearbox had been loose from its mounting for some time. Maintenance records showed the tail rotor gearbox input seal was changed 110 flight hours before the accident, and at a 100-hour inspection, 14 flight hours before the accident, a mechanic certified that the tail rotor gearbox attach bolts were checked for proper torque. Bell Helicopter operating procedures require the tail rotor and tail rotor gearbox be checked during the pilot's preflight inspection.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,071 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 18, 1995; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: U. S. Dept. Of The Interior
The flight
- Departed from: TJIG San Juan PR at 11:20 am
- Destination: St. Johns
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,600 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 79°F (26°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:52 pm from TJS, 42 miles away
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.