Bell 206B accident near Lucasville, Ohio, April 14, 1993
On April 14, 1993 at about 7:47 am local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N72HP, was destroyed in an accident near Lucasville, Ohio. It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS WHICH RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL. A FACTOR WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE UNFAVORABLE WINDS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 14, 1993 · about 7:47 am local time
- Place
- Lucasville, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N72HP · registry record · serial 1844
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ON APPROACH AT ABOUT 150-200 FT AGL WHEN THE HELICOPTER BEGAN ROTATING CLOCKWISE ABOUT THE NOSE IN A NOSE-DOWN ATTITUDE. IT DESCENDED TO THE GROUND AND LANDED HARD IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE COLLAPSING THE LANDING SKIDS. THE HELICOPTER THEN ROLLED OVER ON ITS RIGHT SIDE, AND THE MAIN ROTOR BLADES STRUCK THE GROUND. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE MADE A WIDE RIGHT TURN TO ALIGN WITH THE LANDING AREA WHEN THE NOSE YAWED RIGHT ABOUT 45 DEG. THE HELICOPTER ROTATED TWICE DESPITE THE PILOT'S ATTEMPT TO CORRECT WITH FULL LEFT PEDAL AND LESS COLLECTIVE. HE STATED THE ENGINE APPEARED TO BE OPERATING AT FULL POWER AFTER THE COLLISION. THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT DISCLOSE EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. BASED ON ARMY AND BELL HELICOPTER DATA, THE AIRSPEED AND WIND COMBINATION WERE CONDITIONS CONDUCIVE FOR THE OCCURENCE OF THE LOSS OF TAIL ROTOR EFFECTIVENESS.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 13,344 hours in all; 441 in this make and model; 125 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 13,250 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,695 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 4, 1992; 99 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Ohio State Police
The flight
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 7:47 am
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.
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.