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20230324009729A

Accident · Destroyed
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FAA accident report · Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407 · Perris, CA · March 24, 2023

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
March 24, 2023 · 12:53 local
Place
Perris, CA
Airport
French Valley
Phase of flight
Climb
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Destroyed
Aircraft
N14Z
NTSB investigation
NTSBANC23FA031
Reported as
Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407
People aboard
2
Fatal injuries
2
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificate
Private pilot
N14ZRegistered now · Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407S/N 54704Airframe modelBell Helicopter Textron Canada 407

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.

On March 24, 2023 at approximatly 1217 pacific daylight time, a Bell 407 helicopter was involved in a multiple person fatal accident near nuevo, California. The accident had no survivors and was occupied one pilot and one passenger. ADS-B information shows the helicopter departure origin as French Valley Airport (F70) at 1205 pacific daylight time. No ATC services were being provided to the helicopter. Snow skiing equipment was found around the crash sight and within the wreckage. Family members of the victims indicated the flight was intended as a personal ski trip to big bear airport (L35). The crash sight was near the top of a rural hilly area at an elevation of 2560 feet mean sea level. Area of wreckage was approximatly 75 feet in length and all components of the helicopter were within this area. The helicopter impacted near the peak, broke apart going downslope on the north facing side and was subsequently destroyed. Weather reports at the time of the accident indicate visual meteorlogical conditions with light winds.

Cause of the accident has yet to be determined.

As the FAA filed it

ON MARCH 24, 2023 AT APPROXIMATLY 1217 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME, A BELL 407 HELICOPTER WAS INVOLVED IN A MULTIPLE PERSON FATAL ACCIDENT NEAR NUEVO, CALIFORNIA. THE ACCIDENT HAD NO SURVIVORS AND WAS OCCUPIED ONE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER. ADS-B INFORMATION SHOWS THE HELICOPTER DEPARTURE ORIGIN AS FRENCH VALLEY AIRPORT (F70) AT 1205 PACIFIC DAYLIGHT TIME. NO ATC SERVICES WERE BEING PROVIDED TO THE HELICOPTER. SNOW SKIING EQUIPMENT WAS FOUND AROUND THE CRASH SIGHT AND WITHIN THE WRECKAGE. FAMILY MEMBERS OF THE VICTIMS INDICATED THE FLIGHT WAS INTENDED AS A PERSONAL SKI TRIP TO BIG BEAR AIRPORT (L35). THE CRASH SIGHT WAS NEAR THE TOP OF A RURAL HILLY AREA AT AN ELEVATION OF 2560 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL. AREA OF WRECKAGE WAS APPROXIMATLY 75 FEET IN LENGTH AND ALL COMPONENTS OF THE HELICOPTER WERE WITHIN THIS AREA. THE HELICOPTER IMPACTED NEAR THE PEAK, BROKE APART GOING DOWNSLOPE ON THE NORTH FACING SIDE AND WAS SUBSEQUENTLY DESTROYED. WEATHER REPORTS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT INDICATE VISUAL METEORLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITH LIGHT WINDS.

CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT HAS YET TO BE DETERMINED.

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 ANC23FA031Accident · 2 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportNuevo, CAThe pilot’s decision to maneuver in a steep bank at a low altitude, which resulted in his failure to maintain clearance with terrain.Mar 24, 2023 · Destroyed