20061103023339A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 407 · Kalispell, MT · November 3, 2006

Date: November 3, 2006 · 20:53 local
Place: Kalispell, MT
Phase of flight: Pwr Off Vert Land/Autorotate
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Operator: CXVA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N407KH
NTSB investigation: NTSBSEA07FA014
Reported as: Bell 407
Reported engine: Allison 250C47B
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,950 total100 in this make and model55 in the last 90 days

N407KHRegistered now · Bell 407S/N 53395 · Built 1999 Airframe modelBell 407 Engine modelAllison 250 SER 317HPTurbo-shaft

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) Alert helicopters took off from a helipad, located at Kalispell regional medical center, on a flight to bigfork, Montana, to pick up a patient. About 4 to 5 minutes into the flight, the pilot noted an engine chip light. The pilot turned the helicopter around, to head back to the helicopter pad. The engine started to make a lot of noises. Just before the helicopter returned to the pad, the engine made a loud bang. The pilot proceeded to perform an autorotation. The helicopter hit a fence just before landing. There was a small fire located in the engine compartment, which was extinguished by the crew.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ALERT HELICOPTERS TOOK OFF FROM A HELIPAD, LOCATED AT KALISPELL REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER, ON A FLIGHT TO BIGFORK, MONTANA, TO PICK UP A PATIENT. ABOUT 4 TO 5 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT NOTED AN ENGINE CHIP LIGHT. THE PILOT TURNED THE HELICOPTER AROUND, TO HEAD BACK TO THE HELICOPTER PAD. THE ENGINE STARTED TO MAKE A LOT OF NOISES. JUST BEFORE THE HELICOPTER RETURNED TO THE PAD, THE ENGINE MADE A LOUD BANG. THE PILOT PROCEEDED TO PERFORM AN AUTOROTATION. THE HELICOPTER HIT A FENCE JUST BEFORE LANDING. THERE WAS A SMALL FIRE LOCATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, WHICH WAS EXTINGUISHED BY THE CREW.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB SEA07FA014Accident · No injuriesField investigationFinal reportKalispell, MTOn-speed failure of the second stage turbine wheel as the result of engine oil starvation. The lack of maintenance oversight was a contributing factor.Nov 3, 2006 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N407KH · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20010714018129IFinal Approach · Olney, MT(-23) On July 14, 2001, at 0002 MDT, an emergency medical service helicopter hit a tree during an approach into an off-airport landing site. VMC conditions prevailed at the time. The pilot reported that there was no cloud cover or restrictions to visibility.…Jul 14, 2001 · Minor damage