# Accident 20130530008569A: Bell 407, Columbia, MD, May 30, 2013

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 30, 2013, 23:07 local time
- Place: Columbia, MD
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.2161° N, 76.8711° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.2161&lon=-76.8711&mi=10
- Aircraft: N407HC (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BELL 407
- Reported engine: ALLISON 250-C47B
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 4,341 total, 1,340 in this make and model, 32 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA13TA261](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13TA261) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130530008569A

## Narrative

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

ON 05/30/2013 A BELL 407 (BHT-407, N407HC), OPERATING UNDER CFR 91 (PUBLIC USE) WAS ENROUTE FROM A POLICE SCENE AT 1100' MSL WHEN THE PILOT STATED HE EXPERIENCED A LEFT YAW, A RED ENGINE OUT WARNING MESSAGE AND REDUCED ENGINE NOISE. THE PILOT STATED HE LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE AND MANEUVERED FOR A FOOTBALL FIELD WHICH HAD TREES ON THE APPROACH END. THE PILOT STATED HE HAD TO ADD COLLECTIVE TO MAKE IT OVER THE TREES CAUSING HIS ROTOR RPM TO BLEED OFF, THEN HE RE-LOWERED THE COLLECTIVE. PILOT STATED HE BLED THE REMAINING ROTOR RPM AS HE PULLED COLLECTIVE TO CUSHION THE LANDING. WITNESS STATEMENTS FROM OTHER ON BOARD CREW MEMBERS CORROBORATE AN ENGINE FAILURE IN FLIGHT. AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND NOSE HIGH RESULTING IN THE AFT THIRD OF THE TAILBOOM BEING SHEARED OFF. AIRCRAFT CAME TO A REST UPRIGHT HEADING 188 DEGREES. ALL AIRCRAFT COMPONENTS WERE LOCATED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE AND RECOVERED FOR INVESTIGATION.

## 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 ERA13TA261](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13TA261), May 31, 2013: Bell 407 (N407HC), Columbia, MD, substantial damage. Probable cause: The short circuit failure of a tantalum capacitor, internal to the engine’s electronic control unit, resulting in an uncommanded shutdown of the engine in flight.

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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