# Accident 20220511003599A: Bell BHT-407, Livermore, CA, May 11, 2022

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 11, 2022, 12:00 local time
- Place: Livermore, CA
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Hover/Holding
- Operating rules: Rotorcraft external load (Part 133)
- Operator: GH4L
- Location: 37.6994° N, 121.7085° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.6994&lon=-121.7085&mi=10
- Aircraft: N999GH, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N999GH) (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 BHT-407
- Reported engine: HONEYWLL HTS900-2-1D
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 3,475 total, 160 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR22LA174](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA174) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20220511003599A

## Narrative

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

A BELL BHT-407 WAS PERFORMING HUMAN LIFT OPERATIONS, HUMAN EXTERNAL CARGO (HEC) AT THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TRAINING FACILITY AT LIVERMORE, CA. FACILITY IS APPROXIMATELY TWO MILES WEST OF LIVERMORE AIRPORT.

AT APPROXIMATELY 150' ALTITUDE, THE HELICOPTER LOST ENGINE POWER/ROTOR MOMENTUM, DESCENDED INTO A HORIZONTAL CABLE, TURNED SLIGHTLY RIGHT AND SLAMMED STRAIGHT DOWN ON GRAVEL YARD.

THE HEC LINEMAN HAD TOUCHED DOWN ON GROUND APPROXIMATELY WHEN HELICOPTER HIT HORIZONTAL CABLE. ONCE HE TOUCHED DOWN, HE BALLED UP AND AFTER HELICOPTER CRASHED HE UN-HOOK HIMSELF FROM 60' LONGLINE AND WAS FIRST TO ATTEND PILOT UNTIL FIRST RESPONDER MEDICS SHOWED UP.

THE AIRCRAFT PILOT WAS INJURED AND FIRST RESPONDERS REMOVED HIM FROM PILOT SEAT AND TOOK HIM TO HOSPITAL. SURGERY WAS PERFORMED NEXT DAY.

THE HEC LINEMAN WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL AND RELEASED SAME DAY.

NTSB AND FAA ASI DECLARED HELICOPTER DESTROYED.

## 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 WPR22LA174](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA174), May 11, 2022: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407 (N999GH), Livermore, CA, substantial damage. Probable cause: Loss of engine power due to the pilot inadvertently selecting engine IDLE mode while in flight, which reduced rotor and engine speed to a level that could not sustain 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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