Bell 206B3 accident near Glendale, Arizona, May 27, 2011
On May 27, 2011 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Bell 206B3 (helicopter), registered N59383, was substantially damaged in an accident near Glendale, Arizona (Glendale Municipal Airport). It was an instructional 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 certified flight instructor's failure to maintain adequate main rotor RPM during the autorotation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 27, 2011 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Glendale, Arizona · Glendale Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B3 · all 206B3s on the register
- Registration
- N59383 · registry record · serial 1150
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certified flight instructor reported that the purpose of the flight was to demonstrate a variety of maneuvers to the student in the helicopter. Near the end of the flight the instructor demonstrated a power-on autorotation; however, he delayed the application of power and did not have sufficient rotor RPM to recover the helicopter before impacting the ground. Upon ground impact, the helicopter's tail rotor drive shaft and main rotor blades were damaged. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions of failures with the airframe or the engine that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Autorotation Attempted remediation/recovery
- Autorotation Hard landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine controls › Power lever › Incorrect use/operation
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Prop/rotor parameters › Not attained/maintained
Flight instructor
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,353 hours in all; 965 in this make and model; 93 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 3,185 as pilot in command; 822 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 15, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,256 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 12, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls Royce 250C20 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: N57Aw LLC
The flight
- Departed from: KGEU Glendale AZ
- Destination: KGEU Glendale AZ
- Flight plan: not recorded
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 pm from KGEU, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
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.