# Incident 20070816019709I: Bell 407, Gulf Of Mexico, US, August 16, 2007

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 16, 2007, 15:35 local time
- Place: Gulf Of Mexico, US
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: HEEA
- Location: 29.2561° N, 92.8478° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=29.2561&lon=-92.8478&mi=10
- Aircraft: N433PH, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N433PH-2014-01-07) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 407 (registry code 1182206, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-407) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C47B (registry code 54585, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c47b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 407
- Reported engine: ALLSN 250C47B
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DFW07IA184](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW07IA184) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070816019709I

## Narrative

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

(-23) HELICOPTER'S ENGINE HAD A CHIP LIGHT. IMMEDIATELY AFTER CHIP LIGHT ILLUMINATION, THE ENGINE STARTED MAKING GRINDING NOISES AND FAILED. PILOT ENTERED HELICOPTER INTO AN AUTOROTATION AND SAFELY LANDED THE HELICOPTER IN THE GULF OF MEXICO (BLOCK EC 109) WITH FLOATS DEPLOYED (MINOR DAMAGE NOTED). HELICOPTER RECEIVED FURTHER DAMAGE WHEN IT WAS FLIPPED OVER ONTO ITS BACK BY SIX TO EIGHT FOOT WAVES AND THROUGH THE RECOVERY PROCESS. ENGINE TEARDOWN INSPECTION INDICATED #3 TURBINE WHEEL FAILURE DURING ENGINE OPERATION.

## 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 DFW07IA184](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DFW07IA184), Aug 16, 2007: Bell 407 (N433PH), Gulf of Mexico, incident, no damage. Probable cause: Fatigue failure of the power turbine outer shaft for undetermined reasons.

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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