Bell 206B accident near Norwood, Massachusetts, February 22, 1990
On February 22, 1990 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N41AA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Norwood, Massachusetts (Norwood airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT. THE TURBULENCE WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 22, 1990 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Norwood, Massachusetts · Norwood
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N41AA · registry record · serial 1862
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A DESCENT TO LAND, SEVERE TURBULENCE WAS ENCOUNTERED AND THE HELICOPTER BEGAN TO ROLL RIGHT. CONTROL INPUTS TO CORRECT THE SITUATION WERE INEFFECTIVE AND THE HELICOPTER COLLIDED WITH A FENCE IN A BACK YARD OF A RESIDENCE.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,400 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 68 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 6,000 as pilot in command; 1,300 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,764 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 31, 1990; 13 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Auburn MA at 1:40 pm
- Destination: OWD Norwood MA
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.