# Accident 20050921023489A: Bell 407, Inyo-Kern, CA, September 21, 2005

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: September 21, 2005, 10:07 local time
- Place: Inyo-Kern, CA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Pwr On Vertical Ldng/Rtrcrft
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 35.7714° N, 117.9131° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.7714&lon=-117.9131&mi=10
- Aircraft: N702WP (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BELL 407
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C47B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 15,800 total, 800 in this make and model, 80 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX05TA306](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX05TA306) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20050921023489A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) PILOT WAS TRANSPORTING A L.A. DEPT. OF WATER & POWER SURVEY CREW NORTH WEST OF THE INYO-KERN AIRPORT AREA. PILOT DROPPED OFF SURVEY CREW AND WAS IN THE PROCESS OF REPOSITIONING THE AIRCRAFT TO THE NEXT DROP-OFF SITE. PILOT DECIDED THE LANDING SITE WAS TOO UNEVEN. PILOT REPOSITIONED A FEW YARDS AWAY BELIEVING IT WOULD BE LEVEL ENOUGH TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT. DURING THE LANDING, THE TAILROTOR MADE CONTACT WITH A ROCK OUTCROPPING. PILOT PERFORMED A SUCCESSFUL HOVERING AUTOROTATION. THE TAIL ROTOR BLADES SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL (MAJOR) DAMAGE UPON CONTACTING THE ROCK UPCROPPING. MAIN ROTOR BLADES WERE DAMAGED AND THE FUSELAGE SUSTAINED DAMAGE BY TAIL ROTOR DEBRIS.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB LAX05TA306](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX05TA306), Sep 21, 2005: Bell 407 (N702WP), Inyokern, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot failed to maintain tail rotor clearance from obstacles during landing.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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