Bell 206L accident near Idaho Falls, Idaho, December 16, 1997
On December 16, 1997 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Bell 206L (helicopter), registered N206LT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Idaho Falls, Idaho. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
loss of engine power for undetermined reason(s). A factor relating to the accident included a dirt berm/ridge in the field where the pilot executed the forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 16, 1997 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Idaho Falls, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206L · all 206Ls on the register
- Registration
- N206LT · no longer on the register · serial 51069
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About ten minutes after departing on a repositioning flight, the aircraft's engine experienced a total power loss. The pilot elected to autorotate to an open farm field, where the helicopter touched down on frozen muddy terrain. As the helicopter slid forward, it impacted a ridge of frozen dirt, resulting in the collapse of the skids. When the skids collapsed, the main rotor impacted the tail boom, and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. An inspection of the aircraft revealed no anomalies in any of its systems, and no contamination or water accumulation was found in its fuel. The reason for the loss of power was not determined.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 12,400 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 94 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 11,600 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,985 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 30, 1997; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C30P (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IDA ID at 9:50 pm
- Destination: SLC Salt Lake City UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.