| Crash location | 47.949166°N, 97.176111°W |
| Nearest city | Grand Forks, ND
47.881646°N, 97.056468°W 7.2 miles away |
| Tail number | N96ND |
|---|---|
| Accident date | 26 Jun 2007 |
| Aircraft type | Bell 206B |
| Additional details: | None |
The helicopter was destroyed when it impacted terrain and rolled over during takeoff hover. The certified flight instructor (CFI) reported that the helicopter startup and runup was uneventful. The student pilot hover taxied the helicopter from the ramp to a sod area near Bravo taxiway. The student landed the helicopter and the CFI took over the controls so that the student could put on his view limiting device to prepare for the instrument flight. The CFI stated that when the helicopter lifted off the ground, a gust of wind pitched the nose up and the helicopter drifted rearward. The right side skid caught the ground and the helicopter subsequently rolled on its side, causing damage to both the main and tail rotor blades, the cabin, and the landing gear skids. An examination of the helicopter revealed no pre-impact anomalies.
Wind conditions reported near the time of the accident were: Wind 270 degrees at 15 knots, gusting to 22 knots.
The certified flight instructor's inadequate compensation for the gusting wind conditions and failure to maintain control of the helicopter during a hover for takeoff. A factor contributing to the accident was the gusting wind conditions.