Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1 accident near Banning, California, September 10, 2022
On September 10, 2022 at about 10:50 pm local time, a 1980 Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1, registered N242BH, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Banning, California (Banning Municipal Airport). It was a firefighting flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The improper attachment of the tail rotor drive shaft to the air conditioner drive pulley without a drive ring, which resulted in the failure of the hardware, a loss of tail rotor drive, and the loss of control of the helicopter followed by a hard landing and rollover.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 10, 2022 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Banning, California · Banning Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell Helicopter Textron 206L-1, built 1980 · all 206L-1s on the register
- Registration
- N242BH · no longer on the register · serial 45506
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Firefighting flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and two passengers were returning to the base airport following an aerial firefighting mission. During the approach to the airport, the helicopter began an uncontrolled right rotation that could not be arrested despite full use of the left pedal. The pilot attempted to land in the back yard of a private residence; however, the helicopter landed hard and rolled onto its left side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the main rotor system, fuselage, and tailboom. An on-scene examination revealed the tail rotor drive shaft had separated at a flex coupling and components critical to the assembly were missing. Postaccident metallurgical examination of tail rotor drive shaft assembly, the pulley, and the recovered hardware revealed that tail rotor drive shaft flange was likely directly attached to the air conditioning pulley flange without a drive ring. The bolt length and recovered hardware would have been adequate to secure the drive shaft flange and the pulley flange together to a drive ring; however, the drive ring, two bolts, six washers and one nut were not found amongst the wreckage after a thorough search. The examination also revealed that the two bolts that were recovered failed from fatigue, likely from the cyclic stress due to the absence of a drive ring. According to the helicopter maintenance records, there had been no recent work on the tail rotor drive shaft or air conditioning unit that would have required disassembly and reassembly of the failed flex coupling.
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
- Flight control sys malf/fail during landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor › Tail rotor drive system › Tail rotor drive shaft › Incorrect service/maintenance
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › (general) › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- 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: 5,594 hours in all; 93 in this make and model; 136 in the last 90 days; 66 in the last 30 days; 5,505 as pilot in command; 4,497 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 22, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
Passenger
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 36,275.3 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 28, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 4,150 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royc M250-C30P (turboshaft); 11,103 hours total
- Operator: Blue Sky Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 08, 4,955 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 3:15 pm from KHMT, 14 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KHMT 102215Z AUTO 03006KT 10SM SCT050 BKN120 29/18 A2989 RMK AO2 T02920175
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on April 25, 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 | Materials Laboratory Factual Report 23-007 | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Witness Statements | PDF, 26 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Photos | PDF, 5 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.