Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 505 accident near Ririe, Idaho, February 20, 2025
On February 20, 2025 at about 11:40 pm local time, a Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 505, registered N118LG, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Ririe, Idaho. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 20, 2025 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Ririe, Idaho · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 505 · all 505s on the register
- Registration
- N118LG · no longer on the register · serial 65107
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On February 20, 2025, about 1640 mountain standard time, a Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 505, N118LG, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Ririe, Idaho. The pilot was fatally injured, and the passenger was seriously injured. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the passenger, he and the pilot departed Rexburg-Madison County Airport (RXE), Rexburg, Idaho, and intended to overfly the Ririe Reservoir area to video a large herd of elk. The passenger was seated in a rear seat and secured by a harness, while the pilot occupied the front right seat. The passenger stated that neither he nor the pilot saw the power distribution lines (power lines) that spanned across the frozen lake until the helicopter was immediately in front of the power lines. The pilot attempted to “dive underneath” the power lines, however, the main rotor blades struck the power lines, and the helicopter subsequently impacted the frozen reservoir. The passenger stated that he exited unassisted, and that the engine was still running after the accident before it shut down on its own. A witness, who was located near the reservoir reported that he was watching two helicopters, a white one and a black one. He saw the black one travelling from the area near the dam [north to south]. He lost sight of the black helicopter then heard a “twang sound and a bang.” He drove his snowmobile to where he could see the black helicopter on the frozen reservoir. Examination of the accident site revealed that the helicopter came to rest on the frozen lake on a heading of about 195° magnetic at an elevation of about 5,100 ft mean sea level. All major components remained attached to the helicopter except for the main rotor blades, which were widely disbursed around the main wreckage. A set of five power distribution lines (two upper static lines, and three lower phase lines) were located about 230 ft north of the main wreckage. The power lines, known as the Swan Valley to Goshen Line, spanned the reservoir in an east to west direction and were about 160 ft above ground level. The top two static lines were equipped with orange visibility marker balls. One of the three lower phase lines was fractured and was located on the frozen reservoir. The wreckage was retained for further examination.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The aircraft
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: RXE Rexburg ID
- Destination: Priv Grace ID
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 900 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.16 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from KIDA, 15 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KIDA 202353Z 21012KT 10SM OVC009 01/M02 A3016 RMK AO2 SLP238 T00061022 10017 21006 53010=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR25FA100.