Bell 206-L4 accident near Ft Worth, Texas, December 7, 2022
On December 7, 2022 at about 7:15 pm local time, a 1995 Bell 206-L4 (helicopter), registered N2036F, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Ft Worth, Texas (Bell South Airfield 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 pilot’s improper landing flare, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident, was the flight instructor’s inadequate supervision.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 7, 2022 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Ft Worth, Texas · Bell South Airfield Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 206-L4, built 1995 · all 206-L4s on the register
- Registration
- N2036F · registry record · serial 52123
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that, during the instructional flight practicing autorotations, the pilot receiving instruction flared the helicopter in a more pronounced nose up attitude, an aft cyclic and higher descent rate, but not excessive enough to require him to take control. During the landing, the main rotor blades contacted the tail boom. The tail rotor driveshaft and vertical fins were substantially damaged during the landing. The flight instructor reported that there were no of preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would preclude 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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Student/instructed pilot
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,308 hours in all; 330 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 4,670 as pilot in command; 3,200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,359 hours in all; 0 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,183.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 25, 2022; 117 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,450 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250-C30 SER (turboshaft); 5,751 hours total
- Operator: Bell Textron INC
The flight
- Departed from: 0TE2 Hurst TX at 6:20 pm
- Destination: XS04 Fort Worth TX
- Runway Lane, 1,600 ft by 55 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,100 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Weather report (METAR): KDFW 071925Z 34008KT 4SM BR BKN019 OVC024 18/17 A3012 RMK AO2 WSHFT 1906
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on May 4, 2023. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photos - Damage Courtesy of Bell Helicopters | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N2036F 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.