Bell 205 accident near Troy, Montana, September 17, 2001
On September 17, 2001 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Bell 205 (helicopter), registered N458CC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Troy, Montana. It was a public-use flight under public-use (government) rules. No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot-in-command's failure to maintain seperation/clearance from trees while maneuvering.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 17, 2001 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Troy, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 205 · all 205s on the register
- Registration
- N458CC · registry record · serial 67-17678
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was returning from an external load long-line firefighting flight when he noticed a vertical vibration above 90 knots. After landing at Troy he noticed damage to the main rotor blades. Subsequently, he noticed that pine needles had been ingested by the helicopter's induction system. The pilot reported that he had no memory of hitting any objects during the operation. The weather was clear with 20 miles visibility, and the sky was partially obscured by smoke. There was no report of mechanical failure or malfunction with the helicopter.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 17,630 hours in all; 3,530 in this make and model
- Last flight review: August 29, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,668 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 1, 2001; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allied Signal T-53-L-13B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 57S Troy MT at 9:53 pm
- Destination: MT
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 315° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°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.