# Accident 20071109827549A: Bell 407, Morristown, TN, November 9, 2007

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 9, 2007, 16:10 local time
- Place: Morristown, TN
- Airport: Moore-Murrell
- Damage: No damage
- Phase of flight: Idling Engines
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.1792° N, 83.3753° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.1792&lon=-83.3753&mi=10
- Aircraft: N555BH (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BELL 407
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 8,000 total, 2,000 in this make and model, 10 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC08LA028](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08LA028) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20071109827549A

## Narrative

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

(-23) ON NOVEMBER 9, 2007 IN MORRISTOWN TENNESSEE (MOR) A BELL HELICOPTER BHT-407 WITH A REGISTRATION NUMBER 555BH WAS BEING OPERATED BY REGISTERED OWNER LOGAN & KANAWHA COAL COMPANY LLC. THE PILOT, A COMPANY PILOT FOR 25 YEARS, WAS FLYING THE CEO AND HIS WIFE. UPON LANDING THE PILOT LEFT THE HELICOPTER AT FLIGHT IDLE, A COMMON PRACTICE ACCORDING TO THE CEO, EXITED THE AIRCRAFT AND ASSISTED IN CARRYING LUGGAGE. WHEN THE PILOT RETURNED TO THE HELICOPTER HE WAS STRUCK IN THE FACE BY TWO OF THE FOUR MAIN ROTOR BLADES. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT NO FRICTION WAS APPLIED TO THE CYCLIC FRICTION LOCK AND THE HYDRAULIC SWITCH WAS IN THE OFF POSITION. THE CEO STATED THAT THE PILOT OFTEN SHUT DOWN THE HYDRAULICS UPON LANDING. THE WIND WAS APPROXIMATELY 10 KNOTS QUARTERING TAIL WIND AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS SITTING ON THE TARMAC WITH A 3 DEGREE SLOPE. THE HELICOPTER WAS EQUIPPED WITH LOW SKIDS. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ROTOR BLADES COULD HAVE DIPPED AS LOW AS 67 INCHES FROM THE SURFACE IN FRONT OF THE HELICOPTER. THE PILOT WAS 70 INCHES TALL.

## 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 NYC08LA028](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC08LA028), Nov 9, 2007: Bell 407 (N555BH), Morristown, TN, no damage, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate clearance from the idling main rotor blade. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to comply with the manufacturer's procedure for securing the…

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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