Bell 206B accident near Stockton, California, June 17, 2022
On June 17, 2022 at about 1:15 pm local time, a 1975 Bell 206B (helicopter), registered N90326, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute near Stockton, California. It was a positioning 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
Tail rotor blade impact with an unidentified object, which resulted in the loss of control and subsequent rollover of the helicopter.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 2022 · about 1:15 pm local time
- Place
- Stockton, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206B, built 1975 · all 206Bs on the register
- Registration
- N90326 · no longer on the register · serial 1764
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had departed his home base to relocate the helicopter for an upcoming aerial application job when he felt a vibration and heard a bang, followed immediately by an uncommanded right yaw. While performing a precautionary landing to an orchard, the helicopter entered an uncommanded, continuous right rotation about the vertical axis. The pilot rolled off the throttle and increased collective to cushion the landing, but the helicopter continued the right rotation as it touched down, which resulted in the helicopter rolling over onto its left side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, transmission, main rotor, and tail rotor assemblies. Fragments of one tail rotor blade was recovered about 2,000 ft from the main wreckage. The pilot stated that he was unsure if a bird had struck the tail rotor during flight. Postaccident examination of the tail rotor assembly revealed both blades were damaged, and one blade fractured and separated from the hub. The tail rotor blades were shipped to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) materials laboratory, and subsequently to the manufacturer’s laboratory for further examination. The combined examinations revealed translaminar overstress fractures of both tail rotor blades, with one blade exhibiting a leading-edge high-energy impact. Both blades exhibited an unidentified foreign material transfer onto their leading edges. A small amount of nitrile rubber was found lodged into the end of one blade; however, its origin was undetermined.
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
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Unknown or undetermined during enroute defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Tail rotor › Tail rotor blade › Damaged/degraded
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 31,697 hours in all; 14,406 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 31,399 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 5, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C20B (turboshaft); 10,407 hours total
- Operator: Alpine Helicopter Service INC
The flight
- Departed from: Lodi CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 am from KSCK, 7 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KSCK 171255Z AUTO 26009KT 10SM CLR 14/07 A2986 RMK AO2 SLP110 T01390072 $
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on April 18, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Materials Laboratory Factual Report | PDF, 30 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Materials Laboratory Addendum Report | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 6 | FAA Field Examination of Accident Scene | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Manufacturer's Examination Report | PDF, 28 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.