20150608009789A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Bell 407 · Pecan Island, LA · June 8, 2015

Date: June 8, 2015 · 14:32 local
Place: Pecan Island, LA
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: HEEA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N501PH
NTSB investigation: NTSBCEN15LA265
Reported as: Bell 407
Reported engine: Rolls-Royce 250-C47B
People aboard: 5
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, commercial pilot, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,959 total829 in this make and model20 in the last 90 days

N501PHRegistration cancelled Apr 19, 2025 · Bell 407S/N 53401 Airframe modelBell 407 Engine modelAllison 250-C47 seriesTurbo-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 aircraft was about 2 miles off shore in-bound at 1200'. Pilot and passengers heard "thud" & felt short duration vibration. Pilot lowered collective slightly & slowed aircraft. Flight controls seemed normal. All instruments were normal & no caution lights were on. Pilot lowered collective more for approach & landing and at about 800' vibration & noise increased with un-commanded yaw to right. The pilot commenced an auto rotation and a hard landing was made to the marsh below. The tailrotor gear box with tailrotor blade assembly attached along with the tailrotor gear box attach fitting was sent to Bell helicopter field investigation lab for inspection.

As the FAA filed it

THE AIRCRAFT WAS ABOUT 2 MILES OFF SHORE IN-BOUND AT 1200'. PILOT AND PASSENGERS HEARD "THUD" & FELT SHORT DURATION VIBRATION. PILOT LOWERED COLLECTIVE SLIGHTLY & SLOWED AIRCRAFT. FLIGHT CONTROLS SEEMED NORMAL. ALL INSTRUMENTS WERE NORMAL & NO CAUTION LIGHTS WERE ON. PILOT LOWERED COLLECTIVE MORE FOR APPROACH & LANDING AND AT ABOUT 800' VIBRATION & NOISE INCREASED WITH UN-COMMANDED YAW TO RIGHT. THE PILOT COMMENCED AN AUTO ROTATION AND A HARD LANDING WAS MADE TO THE MARSH BELOW. THE TAILROTOR GEAR BOX WITH TAILROTOR BLADE ASSEMBLY ATTACHED ALONG WITH THE TAILROTOR GEAR BOX ATTACH FITTING WAS SENT TO BELL HELICOPTER FIELD INVESTIGATION LAB FOR INSPECTION.

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 CEN15LA265Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportPecan Island, LAThe fatigue fracture of the tail rotor gearbox attachment studs, which resulted in a loss of tail rotor control and a subsequent hard landing.Jun 8, 2015 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N501PH · 1

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

Accident 20030425008149AFcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise · Houma, LA(-23) The aircraft experienced two subsequent momentary vibrations during cruise flight. The pilot elected to make a precautionary landing to investigate the vibrations. Approximately 20 to 30 feet above the ground, the aircraft experienced an uncommanded…Apr 25, 2003 · Substantial damage