Bell 206-L4 accident near Talladega, Alabama, December 1, 2007
On December 1, 2007 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Bell 206-L4 (helicopter), registered N95CH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Talladega, Alabama (None airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate visual lookout, which resulted in an in-flight collision with a wire.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 1, 2007 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Talladega, Alabama · None · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206-L4 · all 206-L4s on the register
- Registration
- N95CH · registry record · serial 52195
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot performed an off-airport landing in the helicopter, to pick up a patient for transport to a nearby hospital. During the subsequent takeoff, the helicopter's tail rotor struck a wire that was located about 30 feet above the ground, oriented perpendicular to its flight path. The pilot immediately landed without further incident. Neither the pilot, nor the crew were previously informed of the wire, which was not observed until just prior to contact. The helicopter sustained damage to the tail rotor, vertical stabilizer, and left aft storage compartment door.
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: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 11,166 hours in all; 480 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 9,516 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,519 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, November 1, 2007; 56 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C30P (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Talladega AL at 7:10 pm
- Destination: Ironton AL
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.28 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from ANB, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC08LA050.