Bell 206A accident near Texarkana, Arkansas, September 26, 1986
On September 26, 1986, a Bell 206A (helicopter), registered N206DW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Texarkana, Arkansas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 26, 1986
- Place
- Texarkana, Arkansas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206A · all 206As on the register
- Registration
- N206DW · registry record · serial 056
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT THE LEFT FRONT PASSENGER RAISED THE COLLECTIVE PITCH CONTROL BY MISTAKE WHILE TRYING TO OPEN THE CABIN DOOR. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE ROTOR SYSTEM WAS BETWEEN 65-70 N 1 , AND THE THROTTLE AT FLIGHT IDLE. WHEN THE HELICOPTER ACHIEVED HOVER IN-GROUND EFFECT AT THIS POINT, THE PILOT FURTHER STATED, HE PUSHED THE COLLECTIVE PITCH CONTROL DOWN AND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,174 hours in all; 1,915 in this make and model; 67 in the last 90 days; 6,036 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Texarkana AR
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 160° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N206DW the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.