N297CA

BELL 206B · 1974 · Rotorcraft · 1 engine · 5 seats · Valid Registration

Registered owner: HELICOPTER SERVICES OF ILLINOIS LLC, IL (owner ≠ operator)

Operators of this aircraft

Who operated this tail, and how firmly we know it.

OperatorRolePeriodBasis
HELICOPTER SERVICES OF ILLINOIS LLCOperatoron 2026-07-16Operator named in NTSB report
Air Evac EMS, Inc. (EVCA)Operatoron 2013-05-23Operator named in NTSB report

Accident & incident history

Accident · 2026-07-16 Operator named in NTSB report
BELL 206B Serious injury Part 137HELICOPTER SERVICES OF ILLINOIS LLC

Operated by HELICOPTER SERVICES OF ILLINOIS LLC (per NTSB report)

Not yet finalized — may be revised.
Source: NTSB case CEN26LA264
Accident · 2013-05-23 Operator named in NTSB report
BELL 206B No injuries Part 91Air Evac EMS, Inc.

Operated by Air-Evac Lifeteam (per NTSB report)

Source: NTSB case CEN13LA378

Maintenance disclosures

Service Difficulty Reports filed with the FAA for this airframe. Filing is largely voluntary — the number of reports is not a measure of reliability. To verify a report, search its control number at the FAA SDRS site.

2 reports on file, 2013-05-23 – 2015-10-23.

VIBRATION/BUFFET · 2015-10-23 Matched by certificate designator
ATA 7230

Part: COMPRESSOR — DEFECTIVE (ENGINE) · airframe 16,175 hrs · 20,507 cycles

INITIATED A NORMAL TAKEOFF TO THE SOUTH FROM TB-45. APPROXIMATELY 3-5 SECONDS AFTER INITIATION, A LOUD BANG WAS HEARD WITH ACCOMPANING AIRFRAME SHUTTER. ABORTED TAKE OFF. SECOND BANG AND SHUTTER FOLLOWED AS ACFT SETTLED TO THE GROUND.

Source: SDR IAVA2016F00016
PARTIAL RPM/PWR LOSS; WARNING INDICATION · 2013-05-23 Matched by certificate designator
ATA 7230

Part: COMPRESSOR — FAILED (ENGINE)

WHILE IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN, EXPERIENCED ENGINE FAILURE WHILE DEMONSTRATING A NORMAL TAKEOFF. BEGAN TO ACCELERATE FWD AND PASSED THROUGH 40 KNTS AND BEGAN TO CLIMB, THERE WAS A LOUD BANG AND A LEFT YAW OF ACFT, ACFT IS APPROX 20 FT AND 50 KNOTS. TRIMED HELICOPTER AND COMPLETED AUTOROTATION TO TOUCHDOWN WITH FWD AIRSPEED. NO FURTHER DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT.

Source: SDR EVCA2013080900001