On January 7, 2010, a BELL 206B operated by N127TP, LLC was involved in an aviation accident near Kalispell, MT. No fatalities were reported. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain lateral drift control during landing. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
A student pilot landing a turbine-powered helicopter on a frozen lake with 18-24 inches of snow reported that during the flare, blowing snow reduced visibility, the helicopter drifted right, and as skid depth increased, it rolled over, causing structural damage. No mechanical failures were reported.
Accident Details
A student pilot was landing a turbine-powered helicopter on a frozen lake. The lake surface was covered by 18 to 24 inches of snow. During the landing flare, the pilot experienced reduced visibility due to blowing snow. He reported that the helicopter drifted to the right. As the skids sank deeper into the snow, the depth increased, and the helicopter rolled over. The rollover resulted in structural damage to the airframe.
Pilot Report
The pilot stated that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the helicopter. The accident sequence was attributed solely to the conditions encountered during the landing.
Contributing factors
Causes
PilotLateral/bank control — Not attained/maintained
Other contributing factors
Effect on operation
Related events
Same aircraft family
18 Sep 2026 — BELL 206B-III (Greenwood Helicopters INC)
30 Jul 2026 — BELL 206
29 Jul 2026 — BELL 206L-3 (Air Evac Ems INC)
23 Jul 2026 — BELL 206
21 Jul 2026 — BELL 206B (Industrial Helicopters LLC)
17 Jul 2026 — BELL 206B (Helicopter Services OF Illinois LLC)
14 Jun 2026 — BELL 206
12 Jun 2026 — BELL 206
23 May 2026 — BELL 206-L4 (Southern Utah University)
What happened in the 7 Jan 2010 BELL 206B accident near Kalispell, MT?
A student pilot landing a turbine-powered helicopter on a frozen lake with 18-24 inches of snow reported that during the flare, blowing snow reduced visibility, the helicopter drifted right, and as skid depth increased, it rolled over, causing structural damage. No mechanical failures were reported.
Were there any fatalities in the 7 Jan 2010 BELL 206B accident?
No fatalities were recorded in this accident.
What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?
The accident on 7 Jan 2010 involved a BELL 206B, operated by N127TP, LLC, at Kalispell, MT.
What was the probable cause of the accident?
The pilot's failure to maintain lateral drift control during landing.
A SkyWalk Join't 3 paraglider crashed into the ground near Las Vizcachas, Chile, on September 1, 2024. The pilot and passenger sustained serious spinal…
PARAPENTE (ULTRALIVIANO NO MOTORIZADO)·2024-09-01DGAC Chile
A Cessna 172N struck electrical cables while on final approach to land at Aucó Aerodrome in Chile. The pilot was uninjured, but the aircraft sustained damage…
A Bombardier DHC-8-402 suffered a tail strike during landing at Puerto Williams on September 9, 2024. All 76 occupants were unharmed, but the aircraft…
A MYD JS-MD 3 glider veered off the runway and struck a wall at Vitacura Aerodrome on January 6, 2025. The pilot was uninjured, but the aircraft sustained…
A recreational paraglider flight in Puchuncaví, Chile, ended with the pilot sustaining serious injuries after a rapid descent and impact with a hillside on…
PARAPENTE (ULTRALIVIANO NO MOTORIZADO)·2025-03-29DGAC Chile
A Tecnam P2006T landed on its belly at an aerodrome in Poland after the crew failed to confirm landing gear deployment. The incident resulted in no injuries…