Originally Posted by
gulliBell
I'm not sure how many Bell helicopters breakup in flight with an experienced pilot/instructor at the controls. Probably zero would be my guess. The same can't be said for Robinson helicopters.
So, I went through the accidents back to about 1994 (around when the R44 was certified. I ignored all the Bell 47 accidents, all the foreign accidents, and I think all engine failures. I was looking for accidents that came as close as possible to what you said: in flight breakup. Most of these are maintenance issues, but at least a couple were the way the pilot flew the aircraft which is probably what you were talking about... I ignored most loss of control, and hitting stuff with the main rotor or tail rotor, trying to just find cases where the pilot was flying along and the aircraft broke up. A couple of these are mast bumping due to the pilot...
https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfgenerator/Re...relim&IType=FA Bell 407
https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfgenerator/Re...Final&IType=FA Bell 407
https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfgenerator/Re...Final&IType=FA 206L1
https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfgenerator/Re...Final&IType=FA Bell 222
https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfgenerator/Re...Final&IType=FA 206L1
https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfgenerator/Re...Final&IType=FA 214
https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfgenerator/Re...Final&IType=FA Bell 222
https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfgenerator/Re...Final&IType=FA Bell 212
https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfgenerator/Re...Final&IType=FA Bell 212
https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfgenerator/Re...Final&IType=FA Bell 407
https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfgenerator/Re...Final&IType=GA Bell 206L1
https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfgenerator/Re...Final&IType=FA Bell UH-1B
https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfgenerator/Re...Final&IType=FA Bell 206B
https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfgenerator/Re...Final&IType=FA Bell 212