Bell 206 L4 accident near Dewey, Arizona, June 2, 2015
On June 2, 2015 at about 2:48 am local time, a 1995 Bell 206 L4 (helicopter), registered N73AW, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Dewey, Arizona. It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
A total loss of engine power due to the failure of the No. 2 bearing, which resulted from a fractured separator.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 2, 2015 · about 2:48 am local time
- Place
- Dewey, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206 L4 L4, built 1995 · all 206 L4s on the register
- Registration
- N73AW · registry record · serial 52115
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot was conducting a cross-country ferry flight. He reported that the engine chip detector caution light briefly illuminated while the helicopter was in cruise flight about 750 ft above ground level. The pilot chose to make a precautionary landing and initiated a descent. During the descent, the detector light illuminated again, followed shortly thereafter by a "loud bang" and the engine losing power. The pilot initiated an autorotation emergency landing. During the landing sequence, the main rotor blades struck the tailboom. Examination of the engine revealed that the No. 2 bearing separator had fractured through both rails at the forward and aft sides of the bearing. The ball bearings were retained in the separator; however, half of them exhibited damage consistent with smearing and material transfer between the raceway and balls, which resulted in the failure of the No. 2 bearing and the subsequent engine power loss.
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 engine power (total) during enroute (cruise) defining event
- Mast bumping during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (turbine/turboprop) › Turbine section › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,405 hours in all; 3,460 in this make and model; 1,170 in the last 90 days; 60.5 in the last 30 days; 6,190 as pilot in command; 870 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 28, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,091.8 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 4, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 4,450 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison/Rolls Royce 250-C30P (turboshaft); 8,159 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 40G Grand Canyon AZ at 2:05 am
- Destination: GEU Glendale AZ
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 210° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 am from PRC, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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 N73AW 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.