Bell 206L-1 accident near Wisdom, Montana, August 24, 2002
On August 24, 2002 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Bell 206L-1 (helicopter), registered N832AH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wisdom, 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's failure to maintain clearance from an object while maneuvering. A tree(s) was a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 24, 2002 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wisdom, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L-1 · all 206L-1s on the register
- Registration
- N832AH · no longer on the register · serial 45560
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during a post-flight walk around, he noticed damage to the main rotor blades. One blade was punctured and both blades displayed tearing to the underside material of the blade. The pilot reported that several missions had been flown that day and he was unsure as to when the damage occurred. The pilot stated, that he believed that during one water drop with the 50-foot long line that held the water bucket, that the altitude was insufficient to avoid contact with an unseen tree top on the opposite side of the aircraft from the pilot station.
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: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,300 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 85 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 3,200 as pilot in command; 950 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 30, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,212 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, July 29, 2002; 36 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,250 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250 C30P (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Wisdom MT
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°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.
Other NTSB records under N832AH 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.