# Accident 20231115019969A: Bell 407, Richmond, VA, November 15, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: November 15, 2023, 19:30 local time
- Place: Richmond, VA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Landing: Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.4000° N, 77.5167° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.4000&lon=-77.5167&mi=10
- Aircraft: N26VA, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N26VA) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 407 (registry code 1182206, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-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 407
- Reported engine: ROLLS-ROYC 250-C47B
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport, commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 8,700 total, 5,600 in this make and model, 50 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA24LA045](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA045) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20231115019969A

## Narrative

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

B407 MAIN ROTOR CONTACTED THE LEFT VERTICAL FINLET DURING LANDING. AIRCRAFT WAS TOWED BACK TO THE HANGAR. DELAYED NOTIFICATION. ON ADVICE FROM MANUFACTURER ENGINEERING, MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL PERFORMED SKID DEFLECTION CHECK AND DETERMINED THAT AIRCRAFT HAD SUSTAINED A HARD LANDING. FURTHER INSPECTIONS AWAITNG RELEASE FROM NTSB AND OPERATOR LEGAL DEPARTMENT.

THE DAMAGE WAS FOUND AT THE CONCLUSION OF 2 TRAINING FLIGHTS. THE PILOTS UNDERGOING TRAINING SWAPPED OUT BETWEEN SESSIONS WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING AND INSTRUCTOR REMAINING AT THE CONTROLS. STATEMENTS FROM PILOTS UNDERGOING TRAINING AND THE CONTRACT INSTRUCTOR STATE THAT NONE WERE AWARE OF ANY ABNORMAL LANDING OR BLADE STRIKE DURING THE COURSE OF INSTRUCTION WHICH INCLUDED NUMEROUS TOUCHDOWN AUTOROTATIONS AND OTHER SIMULATED EMERGENCY PROCEDURES. IN SUBSEQUENT INTERVIEW, INSTRUCTOR STATED THAT ONE OF THE PILOTS UNDERGOING TRAINING MAY HAVE INPUT TOO MUCH AFT CYCLIC DUIRNG THE GROUND RUN AT LOW ROTOR RPM AT THE COMPLETION OF AN AUTOROTATION WHILE THE INSTRUCTOR REACHED UP TO MUTE THE LOW RPM AUDIO CAUSING THE MAIN ROTOR TO FLEX DOWN ENOUGH TO STRIKE THE LEFT FINLET.

## 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 ERA24LA045](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA045), Nov 16, 2023: Bell 407 (N26VA), Chesterfield, VA, substantial damage. Probable cause: A hard landing, which resulted in a main rotor strike of the left vertical stablizer.

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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