Bell 206B accident near Bingham, Maine, August 18, 1995
On August 18, 1995 at about 12:00 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N16915, was destroyed in an accident near Bingham, Maine. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate landing flare resulting in a hard landing and roll over, and a subsequent collision with trees.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 18, 1995 · about 12:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bingham, Maine
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N16915 · no longer on the register · serial 2294
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD BEEN CONDUCTING AN AERIAL APPLICATION FLIGHT. DURING THE THIRD APPROACH TO LANDING, THE LEFT SKID TOUCHED DOWN FIRST, AND THEN THE RIGHT SKID FOLLOWED BY THE HELICOPTER ROLLING TO THE RIGHT AND COLLIDED WITH TREES. THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT ANY MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS OR FAILURES, AND THE FAA INSPECTOR STATED, 'INVESTIGATION OF THE WRECKAGE AT THE CRASH SITE...YIELDED NO MECHANICAL OR STRUCTURAL FAILURE FINDINGS.'
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: 11,184 hours in all; 2,130 in this make and model; 140 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 10,882 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,981 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 22, 1995; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C20B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Helicopter Transport Services
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.