# Accident 20121224028779A: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407, Mcallen, TX, December 24, 2012

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 24, 2012, 17:45 local time
- Place: Mcallen, TX
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
- Operator: EVCA
- Location: 26.1864° N, 98.2275° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.1864&lon=-98.2275&mi=10
- Aircraft: N489AE, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N489AE) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407 (registry code 1182154, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-helicopter-textron-canada-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 HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA 407
- Reported engine: ROLLS-ROYC 250-C47B
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 2,750 total, 200 in this make and model, 51 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN13CA114](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13CA114) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20121224028779A

## Narrative

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

AIRCRAFT, A BELL BH-407 HELICOPTER N489AE, WAS POSITIONED ONTO THE HELIPAD FACING SOUTH TOWARD THE HANGAR FOR A PATIENT TRANSFER MISSION.  A SISTER AIRCRAFT, N499AE, WAS PARKED JUST OFF THE PAD PARALLEL AND SLIGHTLY AFT ALONG THE WEST SIDE.  FOLLOWING RUN-UP AND CREW CHECKS, THE AIRCRAFT WAS BROUGHT TO A HOVER.  WHILE AT A HOVER, THE PILOT TURNED THE AIRCRAFT APPROXIMATELY 45 DEGREES TO THE LEFT TO FACE THE PREVAILING WIND FOR TAKEOFF.  TAIL ROTOR CAME INTO CONTACT WITH A MAIN ROTOR BLADE OF THE PARKED AIRCRAFT.  PILOT EXPERIENCED VIBRATION AND A SUDDEN YAW TO THE RIGHT.  PILOT EXECUTED A HOVERING AUTOROTATION ON THE PAD AND CAME TO REST HEADING WEST, A TURN OF APPROXIMATELY 125 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT OF THE HEADING AT THE TIME OF TAIL ROTOR CONTACT.

ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT SUFFERED DAMAGE TO BOTH TAIL ROTOR BLADES, A DENT TO THE LEADING EDGE OF THE BLUE MAIN ROTOR BLADE, SURFACE GOUGES TO THE BLUE AND RED MAIN ROTOR BLADES, PUNCTURE HOLES TO ONE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER FIN AND THE SKIDS SPREAD DUE TO THE HARD LANDING.  THE PARKED AIRCRAFT SUFFERED DAMAGE TO THE TRAILING EDGE OF ONE MAIN ROTOR BLADE.

STATEMENTS FROM THE CREW INDICATE THAT THE RIGHT-SIDE CREW MEMBER ATTEMPTED TO ALERT THE PILOT TO THE IMPENDING IMPACT.  THIS ALERT WAS NOT HEARD BY THE PILOT BECAUSE THE PILOT WAS TRANSMITTING TO MCALLEN TOWER AT THE TIME.

## 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 CEN13CA114](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13CA114), Dec 25, 2012: Bell 407 (N489AE), McAllen, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance with a parked helicopter during takeoff.

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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