Bell 505 Accident Data Analysis
Welcome to the SafeRotors Bell 505 data dashboard. As part of our mission to reduce accident rates and foster a proactive safety culture within the helicopter community, this page provides an ongoing, transparent analysis of global B505 incidents.
56% of all Bell 505 accidents fall into just 4 categories. That means that targeted training and operational risk management has the potential to address the majority of accident scenarios. This data is maintained to help pilots and operators identify trends and manage risks.
Private owner/operators face a significantly higher accident risk compared to commercial operations: with approximately 1.5 accidents per 10,000 flight hours, and ~15 times more likely to have a fatal accident than Helicopter Air Ambulance operations (USHST data). These statistics reflect the unique environment owner-pilots operate in, with reduced safety infrastructure and resources. Understanding trends such as rollovers, LTE, wire strikes, and Unintended IMC, better equips us to mitigate risks.
About the Author
Dave Dziura is an FAA Designated Pilot Examiner, IS-BAO aviation safety auditor, and Bell 505 instructor who provides initial and recurrent training for owner/operators across North America and beyond. This accident tracker is maintained to identify recurring accident patterns and share practical lessons that can help prevent future accidents. It is updated as new investigations are released.
Help Improve This Database: If you’re aware of any unlisted occurrences or corrections to existing info, please contact me at dave@saferotors.com
B505 Accident History
*Updated 8/14/2026: added data related to Tail Strike accident in UK*
See disclaimer below – data is preliminary and may be incomplete or inaccurate
Bell 505 Accidents by Primary Contributing Factor
Bell 505 Accidents by Operation Type
Click an image to enlarge
See how these accident trends translate into training.
Explore Bell 505 Recurrent Training- Total Worldwide B505 Accidents: 32
- Total Fatal B505 Accidents: 9
- Total number of fatalities: 23
- Breakdown by Type of Operation (Top 3):
- Private / Owner-Pilot: 11 = 34%
- Training Operations: 10 = 31%
- Tours: 4 = 13%
- B505 Breakdown by contributing factor:
- Rollover (on surface or dolly): 7
- Autorotation Training: 5
- Loss of Directional Control (two LTE, one still preliminary): 3
- Wire strike: 3
*The top 4 Causes (autorotation training, rollover, LTE/yaw, wires) account for 56% of all 505 accidents
Top Fatal Accident Causes (2021-2025 All Helicopters, USA):
*Top 3 causes account for 61% of all fatal accidents
1.) Struck Object in Low Alt ops: 33%
2.) IIMC / UIMC: 19%
3.) Loss of Control: 9%
4.) Mechanical Failure: non-engine: 8%
FAA Rotorcraft Accident Dashboard <– Click here for all current FAA heli accident data
Master B505 Accident Log
| Accident Date | Reg. | Operator | Fatalities | Location / Country | Accident Summary (unofficial -see disclaimer below) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 Feb 2019 | JA184A | Japan Coast Guard | 0 | Sendai Airport (SDJ/RJSS) [Japan] | Training: Autorotation |
| 3 Mar 2019 | 5Y-KDL | Private | 5 | Labolo, Lake Turkana, Central Island National Park [Kenya] | Spatial Disorientation: Night |
| 6 Jun 2019 | 4L-ADJ | Adjara Group Company / Rooms Hotels | 3 | Kazbegi, Mtskheta-Mtianeti region [Georgia] | FLY/IDLE Switch: toggled to IDLE at 550 ft AGL, collective not lowered |
| 9 Sep 2019 | HB-ZWR | Fuchs Helikopter (operator) Loxia Swiss GmbH (owner) | 0 | Vorab glacier, Laax, Graubünden [Switzerland] | Rollover: snow landing – Training flight |
| 28 Nov 2019 | ZT-RDR | Kimfly Charters | 0 | near Army base, Kimberley, Northern Cape [South Africa] | LTE: during slow right turn, inspection flight |
| 24 Mar 2020 | ZT-RJC | Private | 1 | Christiana, North West [South Africa] | Rollover: skid sank into soft ground |
| 11 Nov 2020 | HB-ZYN | Heli-Alpes | 0 | Sion (LSGS) [Switzerland] | Ramp collision with parked heli – Training flight |
| 6 Jul 2022 | B-707S | Reignwood Star General Aviation | 2 | Fangshan District, Beijing [China] | Wirestrike: cable was announced by ground crew, but not seen by pilot |
| 12 Jul 2022 | PK-WSU | Whitesky Aviation | 0+1 | Fly Bali Heliport [Indonesia] | Ground crew walked into TR upon shutdown |
| 15 Jul 2022 | VH-VTB | Nautilus Aviation | 0 | Cairns Aerodrome, QLD [Australia] | Forward fan shaft bearing seized and overheated, resulting in failure of the TRDS at fan shaft. |
| 27 Aug 2022 | N6SD | Private | 0 | Atlanta-DeKalb-Peachtree Airport, GA (PDK/KPDK) [United States] | Rollover: dolly ops, skid tipped rearward and tail strike |
| 8 Oct 2022 | N874BB | Private | 0 | near Moab, UT [United States] | Rollover: aircraft tipped rearward on slope; abrupt collective inputs |
| 8 Oct 2022 | N5DF | DWF Heli LLC | 0 | Iona, FL [United States] | LTE: steep appch w/ tailwind, low RPM contributed |
| 5 Apr 2023 | VN-8650 | Vietnam Helicopters (VNH) | 5 | between Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh and Lan Ha Bay, Hai Phong [Vietnam] | Unknown |
| 3 Nov 2023 | I-ECJX | Elicompany | 0 | Lido di Noto, Syracuse [Italy] | Loss of yaw control: powerline inspection – preliminary |
| 12 Mar 2024 | HB-ZWC | Heli Sitterdorf AG, opf Heli Academy | 0 | between Rothenhausen and Mettlen, Bussnang, TG [Switzerland] | Rollover: during lift off. Loose bearpaws contributed. – Training Flight |
| 16 May 2024 | SP-RMK | Private | 0 | Wiciejów, SE of Mińsk Mazowiecki [Poland] | “Powerplant Loss of Power”, no other reported irregularities. Preliminary |
| 26 Jun 2024 | T7-VIT | Private | 2 | Saint-Raphaël, Var [France] | Cause unknown, enroute – Training Flight |
| 19 Jul 2024 | PK-WSP | Bali HeliTour | 0 | Suluban, Pecatu Village, South Kuta District, Badung Regency [Indonesia] | Wirestrike: kite strings |
| 30 Jul 2024 | N57NC | Private | 2 | Upper Joristown, near Kullican, County Westmeath [Ireland] | Training: autorotations |
| 23 Aug 2024 | N945TC | CAE USA | 0 | Marianna, Florida (KMAI) [United States] | Training: autorotations |
| 11 Nov 2024 | N1243Y | Turbines Ltd | 0 | near Lago Vista, TX [United States] | Training: autorotations |
| 20 Feb 2025 | N118LG | Private | 1 | near Ririe, ID [United States] | Wire strike over reservoir; 160 AGL |
| 28 Feb 2025 | XB-SFF | Private | 0 | Hermosillo [Mexico] | “experienced mechanical failure” – preliminary |
| 10 Apr 2025 | HB-ZWF | Mountain Flyers 80 Ltd | 0 | Petersgrad Gebirgslandeplatz [Switzerland] | Rollover: landing on glacier |
| 30 Apr 2025 | N9TV | Griffin Television OKC LLC (ENG) | 0 | Oklahoma City-Wiley Post Airport, OK (KPWA) [United States] | Rollover: Skid caught in middle of dolly during landing |
| 27 Aug 2025 | N505GR | Bell Textron Inc | 0 | Bell South Airfield Heliport (XS044), Fort Worth, TX [United States] | Training (BTA): OGE Auto, low airspeed and high ROD, hard landing |
| 13 Dec 2025 | N865S | Private | 0 | near Dilley, TX [United States] | Loud bang “above head”, “partial control loss” -forced landing resulted in roll over (preliminary) |
| 19 Dec 2025 | N505TZ | Bell Textron Inc | 0 | Bell South Airfield (XS04), Fort Worth, TX [United States] | Training (BTA): Hydraulics off |
| 3 Mar 2026 | RP-C3138 | Private | 2 | Sitio Upper Barak, Barangay Quisao, Pililla, Rizal [Philippines] | Private – unknown |
| 7 Mar 2026 | N911FW | Fort Worth Police Department | 0 | Fort Worth Meacham International Airport, TX (FTW/KFTW) [United States] | Hard landing immediately after takeoff. – Preliminary |
| 18 Jun 2026 | G-KANF | Private | 0 | Stanbridge, Bedfordshire, UK | Tail Strike – repositioning |
Source: https://aviation-safety.net/asndb/type/B505
Build the Skills to Beat the Data.
Sharpening your aircraft control, emergency procedures, risk management, and understanding of the aircraft is a continuous process.
SafeRotors specializes in advanced training courses designed and customized specifically for private helicopter owner-operators.
Important Safety Notice & Disclaimer
– The information, metrics, and accident tracking data presented on this page are compiled for educational and accident-prevention purposes only. This analysis is based entirely on third-party data sources, preliminary reports, and public records, which may be incomplete, unverified, or inaccurate.
– The summaries, categorization of causes, and data visualizations provided here do not definitively reflect factual or legally binding conclusions of actual events. They do not represent official opinions, findings, or rulings of any aviation regulatory body, manufacturer, or the administration of this website.
– Aeronautical decision-making should never be based solely on the historical metrics presented here. Pilots-in-command bear ultimate responsibility for the safe operation of their aircraft in accordance with approved flight manuals and official regulatory guidelines.