Bell 206L-3 — registry & accident history
Compiled from FAA & NTSB records · as of Jul 18, 2026
There are 464 Bell 206L-3 airframes on record (built 1981–1999), 160 currently registered. 24 have one or more NTSB accident records (25 records total, 5 with a fatal highest-injury classification). Data as of Jul 18, 2026.
Recent Bell 206L-3 accidents
The pilot’s failure to ensure that the load hose was disconnected from the helicopter before takeoff, which resulted in a loss of control after liftoff and a hard landing.
A loss of collective control authority due to fatigue failure of the collective servo cylinder extension arms from corrosion pitting.
The helicopter’s inflight collision with cackling geese, resulting in an inflight breakup.
A collision with a fence during landing due to the crew’s reduced distance estimation and depth perception while using night vision goggles. Contributing to the accident was the low moon angle, which made viewing the fence more challenging.
The pilot’s inadequate visual lookout while flying at a low level over a river, which resulted in a wire strike.
A passenger’s unsecured object departed the cabin resulted in a collision with the tail rotor drive shaft.