Bell 206L-1 accident near Neihart, Montana, November 17, 1999
On November 17, 1999 at about 8:50 pm local time, a Bell 206L-1 (helicopter), registered N519EH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Neihart, Montana. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Clearance from an object was not maintained. Gusting wind conditions was a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 17, 1999 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Neihart, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-1 · all 206L-1s on the register
- Registration
- N519EH · no longer on the register · serial 45429
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, due to trees directly in front of him for the departure from a remote site located near ski lift towers, he elected to turn the nose of the helicopter 45 to 50 degrees to the left, hover over to an open area, and depart downslope building airspeed and altitude. After the helicopter moved to the left about 20 to 30 feet, the pilot felt the tail of the helicopter rotate abruptly to the left. The pilot applied left pedal which slowed, but did not stop the rotation. The pilot applied cyclic control to return to the landing zone. During the maneuver, the helicopter drifted over to one of the ski lift towers, striking the tail rotor on the tower. The rotation increased, and the pilot closed the throttle and utilized collective to cushion the landing which was hard. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter at the time of the accident. Shortly after the accident, as the pilot was waiting for company personnel to arrive, he noted that at 10 to 15 minute intervals, the wind gusts would become stronger for a short period of time, then die down. The pilot reported that the wind was from 180 degrees at five knots, gusting to 15 knots.
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: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,415 hours in all; 1,260 in this make and model; 66 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 4,163 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,437 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, October 10, 1999
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C30P (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 95U Great Falls MT
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N519EH 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.