# Accident 20100511005309A: Bell 407, Abingdon, VA, May 11, 2010

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 11, 2010, 14:00 local time
- Place: Abingdon, VA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 36.6872° N, 82.0331° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.6872&lon=-82.0331&mi=10
- Aircraft: N31VA, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N31VA-2019-07-12) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 407 (registry code 1182206, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-407) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Amateur-built UNKNOWN ENG (registry code 99999, https://openairdocs.org/engine/amateur-built-unknown-eng) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 407
- Reported engine: ROLLS-ROYC 250
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 0 total, 0 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA10TA261](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10TA261) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20100511005309A

## Narrative

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

AT APPROXIMATELY 1355 EDT THE AIRCRAFT CREW WAS CONDUCTING A TRAINING FLIGHT THAT ORIGINATED AT VIRGINIA HIGHLANDS AIRPORT (VJI) IN ABINGDON, VA. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS FOR AIRCRAFT ORIENTATION TRAINING. THE AIRCRAFT FLEW ONE TRAFFIC PATTERN AT THE AIRPORT AND PROCEEDED TOWARD A SMALL CONFINED AREA USED FOR TRAINING. DURING THE FLIGHT TO THE AREA A VERY LOW GROWL NOISE WAS HEARD BY THE CREW. THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR THEN TOOK OVER THE CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. AS THE AIRCRAFT MADE A RIGHT TURN TOWARD THE CONFINED AREA AT APPROXIMATELY 200 FEET AGL AND 80 KNOTS, THE ENGINE SURGED AND BEGAN TO MAKE A VERY LOUD GROWL NOISE, THE ENGINE FAILED, AND THE PILOT INITIATED THE EMERGENCY ENGINE OUT PROCEDURE. THE PILOT PERFORMED AN AUTOROTATION, THE AIRCRAFT MADE A HARD LANDING, BOUNCED ONCE, AND CAME TO REST ON A SLIGHT SLOPE IN A FIELD. THE HARD LANDING RESULTED IN THE AIRCRAFT SKIDS BEING SPLAYED AND THE LEFT TAIL HORIZONTAL STABILIZER VERTICAL FIN BEING CONTACTED BY THE MAIN ROTOR BLADE REMOVING APPROXIMATELY 3 INCHES FROM THE TIP OF THE FIN. THE FLIR SYSTEM IMAGING UNIT AT THE BOTTOM LEFT HAND MID-SECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT HAD PUSHED UP THROUGH THE FLOOR OF THE CABIN AREA AND THE DATA LINK MICROWAVE ANTENNA HAD TORN FROM THE BOTTOM SECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT JUST FORWARD OF THE AFT SKID TUBE.

## 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 ERA10TA261](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA10TA261), May 11, 2010: Bell 407 (N31VA), Abingdon, VA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The improper repair of an engine component by a repair facility, which resulted in a complete loss of engine power. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the repair facility to recognize…

## Other reports on N31VA (1)

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

- [Accident 20170812011609A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20170812011609A), Aug 12, 2017: Bell 407 (N31VA), Charlottesville, VA, Destroyed, 2 fatal. Date: August 14, 2017 Subject: Virginia state trooper helicopter accident in Charlottesville, VA ? On Saturday, August 12, 2017, 2017, about 5:00 p.m. eastern…

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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