# Accident 20211214021079A: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407, Bridgeport, TX, December 14, 2021

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 14, 2021, 13:50 local time
- Place: Bridgeport, TX
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.1739° N, 97.8284° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.1739&lon=-97.8284&mi=10
- Aircraft: N862YB, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N862YB) (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-C47E/4 (registry code 54236, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c47e-4) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA 407
- Reported engine: ROLLS-ROYC 250-C47E/4
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 1
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 243 in this make and model, 36 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN22LA078](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA078) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20211214021079A

## Narrative

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

ON DECEMBER 14, 2021, AT APPROXIMATELY 1330 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 407, N862YB, LEFT ALLIANCE AIRPORT HEADED TO BRIDGEPORT AIRPORT FOR A ONE HOUR FLIGHT AND TO TOP OFF ON JET A FUEL. THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^PILOT DECIDED TO USE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO PRACTICE A COUPLE OF POWER RECOVERY AUTO ROTATIONS.  THE FIRST APPROACH WAS A STRAIGHT POWER RECOVERY AND WENT WELL WITHOUT ANY ISSUES.  HE THEN DECIDED TO TAKE THE HELICOPTER AROUND THE PATTERN FOR ANOTHER APPROACH AND A 90 DEGREE POWER RECOVERY.  THE PILOT ROLLED THE THROTTLE BACK TO WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS IDLE, WHEN HE HEARD AN AUDIO WARNING OF ?ENGINE OUT?.  HE NOTICED THE ENGINE BUTTON WAS ACTUALLY OFF AND HE IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO CONDUCT A RESTART OF THE ENGINE.  WITH NO TIME FOR THE ENGINE TO RESTART AND THE GROUND APPROACHING QUICKLY, THE PILOT PERFORMED AN ENGINE OUT AUTOROTATION.  NEAR THE GROUND THE PILOT FLARED THE HELICOPTER TO BLEED OUT THE AIRSPEED AND SOFTEN THE IMPACT.  THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED THE SKIDS WITH A NOSE UP ATTITUDE AND BROKE THE SKID TUBES CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO ROLL OVER. ONCE THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST THE ENGINE WAS MOVED BACK TO THE OFF POSITION BY THE PILOT AS IT WAS FOUND BY THE INSPECTOR AT THE SCENE. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL ISSUES FOUND.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED BY THE IMPACT AND ROLL OVER. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT.

## 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 CEN22LA078](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22LA078), Dec 14, 2021: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407 (N862YB), Bridgeport, TX, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate main rotor RPM during an autorotation which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper placement of the throttle during…

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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