Ownership guide
Bell 206B
829 registered in the US, built from about 1968 to 2007, 5 seats, most with the Rolls-Royce 250. Its Airworthiness Directives, its engines', and what to check before buying one.
The fleet
- Registered in the US
- 829
- Built
- 1968 to 2007
- Half built by
- 1980
- Seats
- 5
- Engine type
- Turboshaft
- Most common engine
- Rolls-Royce 250
Engines installed
- Rolls-Royce 250757 aircraft (91%) · 53 ADs, 4 with a repeat action
From the FAA aircraft registry, rebuilt daily. Years are those recorded on each registration.
Airworthiness Directives
90 current ADs name the 206B airframe, 12 with a repeat action; 11 more were superseded. Its engines carry 53 more. 3 equipment ADs name the model.
The ones that come back
ADs with a repeat action: an inspection or replacement at an interval, for as long as the AD applies. These are the airworthiness costs an owner keeps paying.
- 2026-14-07Requires repetitively inspecting the pilot cyclic stick tube assembly for a crack and, depending on the results, repairing or replacing the pilot cyclic stick tube assemblyMain rotor control · RotorcraftRepeat actionJul 17, 2026
- 2021-24-15Requires visually inspecting the drive ring spline teeth and the mating area spline teeth on the oil cooler blower shaft for signs of deformation and fretting and depending on the results of the inspection, removing...Tail rotor drive shaft · RotorcraftRepeat actionDec 14, 2021
- 2017-05-04Requires removing certain tension-torsion straps (TT straps) from service and is prompted by reports of corroded TT strapsTension torsion strap · RotorcraftRepeat actionMar 2, 2017
- 2015-05-04Requires inspecting the aft fuselage upper skin (upper skin) for a crack and the upper left longeron assembly (longeron assembly) for a crack, corrosion, or defectFuselage main, longeron/stringer · RotorcraftRepeat actionMar 16, 2015
- 2013-25-10Requires inspecting the fitting for a crack and other conditionsRotorcraft tailboom · RotorcraftRepeat actionDec 27, 2013
- 96-18-05 R1Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Model 206L, 206L-1, and 206L-3 HelicoptersRotorcraftSupersedes 96-18-05Repeat actionNov 16, 2010
- 2008-14-06Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Model 206L, L-1, L-3, L-4, and 407 HelicoptersRotorcraftRepeat actionJul 10, 2008
- 2007-01-06Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Model 206A, B, L, L-1, L-3, and L-4 HelicoptersRotorcraftSupersedes 2004-24-08Repeat actionJan 9, 2007
- 2005-16-04Bell Helicopter Textron Model 206A and 206B HelicoptersRotorcraftRepeat actionAug 8, 2005
- 2002-25-07Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited Model 206L, L-1, L-3, and L-4 HelicoptersRotorcraftSupersedes 99-13-12Repeat actionDec 23, 2002
- 99-17-19Bell Helicopter Textron, A Division of Textron Canada, Model 206L, L-1, L-3, and L-4 HelicoptersRotorcraftSupersedes 97-07-07Repeat actionAug 20, 1999
- 94-19-02Bell Helicopter Textron Canada Limited HelicoptersRotorcraftRepeat actionSep 28, 1994
What gets reported
23 Service Difficulty Reports since 2016: a mechanic or operator files one when a part fails or is found defective.
Systems reported most
- Fuselage Main, Structure4
- Tail Rotor Drive Shaft2
- Main Rotor Blades2
- Main Rotor System2
- Engine (Turbine/Turboprop)2
- Fuel Control/Turbine Engines2
Parts reported most
- Fuel control, failed2
- Governor, inoperative2
- Structure, cracked1
- Drive shaft, worn1
- Safety valve, failed1
- Blade, debonded1
The latest reports
2021-12-15 · Fuselage Structure (General) · None, none
Several crack-like indications were found on the gear teeth in the main rotor trunnion. these indications measured ~3/8" long in the area of interest. cracks were found with fluorescent magnetic particle testing. inspection was performed per astm e1444 as requested by client.
2021-03-08 · Engine (Turbine/Turboprop) · Engine, making metal
During cruise flight the pilot observed the "engine chip" caution light illuminated. pic landed safely in a nearby football field. found (1) small metal sliver on the engine's lower magnetic plug.
2021-02-16 · Fuel Control/Reciprocating Engines · Fuel control, failed
Aircraft engine would not start. fuel control removed and replaced discrepancy corrected. this is the findings of the repair station the fuel control was sent to. this is not the same repair station that the fuel control was overhauled at. the fuel control bellows was 0.049 over the 0.012 limit. i was informed that if this bellows continued it would crack and the engine would de-fault to idle. thi
2021-02-16 · Fuel Control/Turbine Engines · Fuel control, failed
First fuel control unable to adjust start , second fuel control was unable to start at all, replaced fuel control discrepancy was fixed. this was all in a years time. on aircraft 748 the fuel control was changed due to the throttle arm was difficulty to rotate. on aircraft 774 the fuel control was changed due to starting issues and the second one was changed due to n1 hunting. so 5 fuel controls w
From the FAA's Service Difficulty Reporting System, refreshed monthly. Counts of what was reported, not failure rates: most of general aviation reports voluntarily, and a busy training fleet reports more than a private one.
Accident record
121 accidents since 2008, 29 fatal (54 people killed in them, a midair counting both aircraft), 8 aircraft destroyed.
What happened
- Loss of engine power (total)13
- Low altitude operation/event13
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT)10
- Loss of control in flight9
- Loss of tail rotor effectiveness8
- Collision with terrain or object (non-CFIT)7
Phase of flight
- Maneuvering55
- Enroute22
- Landing12
- Takeoff10
- Approach6
The latest
| Date | Where | What happened | Injuries | NTSB number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-07-21 | Stonewall, OK | Maneuvering: Miscellaneous/other | Serious | WPR26LA277 |
| 2026-07-17 | Saint joseph, IL | Maneuvering: Miscellaneous/other | Serious | CEN26LA264 |
| 2025-07-27 | North bend, NE | Maneuvering: Collision with terrain or object (non-CFIT) | None | CEN25LA292 |
| 2025-07-01 | Edgerton, MO | Initial climb: Loss of engine power (partial) | None | CEN25LA232 |
| 2025-04-15 | Amboy, WA | Enroute: Loss of engine power (total) | None | WPR25LA134 |
| 2025-03-19 | Mountain home park, WA | Enroute: Collision with terrain or object (non-CFIT) | Fatal | WPR25FA114 |
From the NTSB's aviation accident database, refreshed monthly; accidents only, homebuilts left out. Counts, not rates: nobody publishes how many hours each model flies, and a training fleet flies far more than a private one. Look up any case by its number in the NTSB's CAROL.
What it costs to run
Per hour flown
Per year, flown or not
- Fuel
- $0/hr
- Engine reserve
- $0/hr
- A year
- $0
- All in, per hour
- $0/hr
Everything else is yours to fill in: insurance, hangar and overhaul prices vary too much by pilot, airport and shop for a default to mean anything. Nothing you type leaves this page.
Before you buy one
- Run its N-number through the AD check: every AD that names its airframe and engine, as a checklist to take to the logbooks.
- For each repeat-action AD (12 on the airframe), find the last compliance in the logbooks and when the next one is due.
- Compare the engine's time since overhaul with its maker's published overhaul time, and look for the reason behind any long gap in flying.
- Ask the mechanic doing the pre-buy to look hard at the fuselage main, structure and for failed fuel controls: they are what gets reported most on this model.
- 3 equipment ADs name the 206B (a muffler, a seat belt, a display): find out which of that equipment is installed.
- Check the registration, the airworthiness certificate and the date of the last annual inspection.
- Work out the sales or use tax your state will charge with the aircraft tax calculator.
The rest of the 206 family
Questions
- How many Bell 206Bs are registered in the US?
- 829, in the FAA aircraft registry.
- When was the Bell 206B built?
- From about 1968 to 2007. Half of those registered today were built by 1980.
- What engine does the Bell 206B have?
- Most have the Rolls-Royce 250 (91% of those registered).
- What are common problems with the Bell 206B?
- In 23 Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA since 2016, the systems reported most were fuselage main, structure, tail rotor drive shaft, main rotor blades, and the part most often reported was a failed fuel control.
- How many accidents has the Bell 206B had?
- 121 in the NTSB's database since 2008, 29 of them fatal. The most common defining event was loss of engine power (total). These are counts, not rates: how many hours the fleet flew is not published.
- How many Airworthiness Directives does the Bell 206B have?
- 90 current ADs name the 206B airframe, 12 of them with a repeat action, and 53 more name its engines. Whether each applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number and installed equipment.
Figures from the FAA aircraft registry and the FAA's Airworthiness Directives, rebuilt daily. An AD listed for a model is one to read; whether it applies to one aircraft depends on its serial number, equipment and records.