20120323005219A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 407 · Delray Beach, FL · March 23, 2012

Date: March 23, 2012 · 14:55 local
Place: Delray Beach, FL
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N31PB
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA12TA251
Reported as: Bell 407
Reported engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C47B
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,482 total1,843 in this make and model87 in the last 90 days

N31PBRegistration cancelled Dec 6, 2025 · Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407S/N 54321 · Built 2012 Airframe modelBell Helicopter Textron Canada 407 Engine modelRolls-Royce 250-C47BTurbo-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.

The pilot in command initiated a throttle rollback on the pilot flying from approximately 800 feet AGL. The flying pilot was slow to react. The flying pilot transferred the flight controls to the pilot in command at approximately 500 feet. A descent was established and the PIC could not stop the rate of descent and gain control of the helicopter. The helicopter landed hard up against a wall. The left skid collapsed and the main and tail rotors were damaged by trees in the landing area.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT IN COMMAND INITIATED A THROTTLE ROLLBACK ON THE PILOT FLYING FROM APPROXIMATELY 800 FEET AGL. THE FLYING PILOT WAS SLOW TO REACT. THE FLYING PILOT TRANSFERRED THE FLIGHT CONTROLS TO THE PILOT IN COMMAND AT APPROXIMATELY 500 FEET. A DESCENT WAS ESTABLISHED AND THE PIC COULD NOT STOP THE RATE OF DESCENT AND GAIN CONTROL OF THE HELICOPTER.THE HELICOPTER LANDED HARD UP AGAINST A WALL. THE LEFT SKID COLLAPSED AND THE MAIN AND TAIL ROTORS WERE DAMAGED BY TREES IN THE LANDING AREA.

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 ERA12TA251Accident · Minor injuriesFinal reportDelray Beach, FLThe pilot’s improper response to a simulated engine failure and the instructor’s delayed and improper remedial action.Mar 23, 2012 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N31PB · 1

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

Accident 20230801008179ALanding: Approach · North Charlesto, SCOn August 1, 2023 at approximately 1530 hours (local), a Bell helicopter 407 was substantially damaged in an accident at the Charleston international airport (chs) in north Charleston, SC. The commercial rated pilot sustained minor injuries. The aircraft was…Aug 1, 2023 · Substantial damage