Bell 206 accident near Columbus, Ohio, May 30, 2002
On May 30, 2002 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Bell 206 (helicopter), registered N820H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Columbus, Ohio (Ohio State University airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's delay in applying remedial action. A factor in the accident was the pilot allowing the rotor rpm to become too low during the deceleration and touchdown phase of the autorotation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 30, 2002 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Columbus, Ohio · Ohio State University · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206 · all 206s on the register
- Registration
- N820H · registry record · serial 2079
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an instructional flight, the flight instructor rolled the throttle to idle. The pilot lowered the collective and entered an autorotation. At first, the pilot did not think he was going to make his intended touchdown point, and wanted to increase airspeed, but the instructor told him to slow the helicopter to 50 knots. The pilot applied aft cyclic, and airspeed decreased to about 40 knots. The pilot was now sure he would not make his intended touchdown point by maintaining 50 knots, so he lowered the nose. As airspeed increased, the pilot realized he was going to overshoot, so he initiated a left, and then a right turn to lose altitude. The pilot initiated a flare, applied initial collective, and then used additional collective to cushion the landing. Rotor RPM decayed during the landing sequence, and the helicopter touched down hard on the aft part of the skids, and then rocked forward, doing substantial damage to the tailboom, and main transmission mounts.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,100 hours in all; 35 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 3,700 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 30, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 26,223 hours in all; 3,900 in this make and model; 149 in the last 90 days; 86 in the last 30 days; 23,200 as pilot in command; 709 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 8, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,946.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 7, 2001; 5.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OSU Columbus OH at 1:25 pm
- Destination: OSU
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from OSU
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.
Other NTSB records under N820H 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.