Bell 206B accident near Kalispell, Montana, January 7, 2010
On January 7, 2010 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N127TP, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Kalispell, Montana. It was a personal 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
The pilot's failure to maintain lateral drift control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 7, 2010 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Kalispell, Montana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N127TP · no longer on the register · serial 2582
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot reported that he was landing the turbine-powered helicopter on a frozen lake covered by 18 to 24 inches of snow. He reported that during the landing flare, in reduced visibility due to blowing snow, the helicopter drifted right and when the skid depth in the snow increased the helicopter rolled over, which resulted in structural damage to the airframe. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Dynamic rollover during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Snowy/icy › Effect on operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private, student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: July 2, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,381 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, February 2, 2009; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250 SER (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: N127Tp, LLC
The flight
- Departed from: S27 Kalispell MT at 8:15 pm
- Destination: Kalispell MT
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; ovct
- Temperature: 7°F (-14°C), dew point 1°F (-17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.79 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.