Bell 206B accident near Winter Park, Florida, May 22, 1997
On May 22, 1997 at about 9:10 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N61PP, was destroyed in an accident near Winter Park, Florida. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilots improper in-flight planning/decision to conduct an out of ground effect hover with a tailwind resulting in an in-flight loss of directional control due to loss of tailrotor effectiveness/unanticipated right yaw, and subsequent in-flight collision with a tree and terrain. Contributing to the accident was the manufactures inadequate written procedures in the flight manual, and the pilot's inadequate training pertaining to the loss of tailrotor effectiveness/unanticipated right yaw.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 22, 1997 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Winter Park, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N61PP · no longer on the register · serial 1369
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses observed the helicopter hovering out of ground effect with a tailwind. The nose of the helicopter pitched nose high and the helicopter started to hover backwards. The nose yawed right and back to the left, and then started spinning to the right descending with the nose pitching up and down before the helicopter disappeared from view behind a tree line. Examination of the helicopter revealed no evidence of a precrash mechanical failure or malfunction of the airframe, flight controls, engine assembly or accessories. Review of the pilots logbook revealed he had not flown the helicopter in six months. The pilot stated he had not received any instruction in the loss of tailrotor effectiveness or uncommanded left or right yaw. He was not aware of the conditions required for this phenomenon to occur or what corrective action should be taken. Review of the flight manual revealed no written procedures pertaining to loss of tailrotor effectiveness or unanticipated right yaw.
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: 1,275 hours in all; 222 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1996
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORL Orlando FL at 9:03 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,500 ft; scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from ORL, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.