# Accident 20230324009729A: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407, Perris, CA, March 24, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 24, 2023, 12:53 local time
- Place: Perris, CA
- Airport: French Valley
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Climb
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 33.7893° N, 117.0954° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.7893&lon=-117.0954&mi=10
- Aircraft: N14Z, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N14Z) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407 (registry code 1182154, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-helicopter-textron-canada-407) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL HELICOPTER TEXTRON CANADA 407
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ANC23FA031](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC23FA031) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230324009729A

## Narrative

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

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.

## 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 ANC23FA031](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC23FA031), Mar 24, 2023: Bell Helicopter Textron 407 (N14Z), Nuevo, CA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to maneuver in a steep bank at a low altitude, which resulted in his failure to maintain clearance with terrain.

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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