# Incident 20240818009829I: Bell 407, Oakridge, OR, August 18, 2024

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 18, 2024, 19:30 local time
- Place: Oakridge, OR
- Damage: Minor damage
- Phase of flight: Unknown
- Operator: LJEL
- Location: 43.7456° N, 122.4658° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Oakridge, OR, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=43.7456&lon=-122.4658&mi=10
- Aircraft: N407RL, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N407RL) (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: 1
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- Pilot flight hours: 7,000 total, 750 in this make and model, 100 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240818009829I

## Narrative

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

THIS INCIDENT OCCURED ON A CIVIL AIRCRAFT, CONDUCTING PAO FOR THE US FOREST SERVICE, DURING WILDLAND FIREFIGHTING WATER BUCKET OPERATIONS.

PILOT NOTICED DAMAGE TO AIRCRAFT DURING POST FLIGHT. THE DAMAGE CONSISTED OF THE TOP OF LEFTHAND FINLET OF THE HORIZONTAL STABILIZER MISSING. THIS APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY TWO MAIN ROTOR-BLADES STRIKING IT. THIS IS EVIDENCED BY PAINT MISSING ON THE TWO MAIN ROTOR BLADES.

THE PILOT DID NOT NOTICE WHEN THE DAMAGE OCCURRED AND DID NOT EXPERIENCE ANY CHANGE TO AIRCRAFT CONTROL. IT IS UNKNOW HOW OR WHEN THE DAMAGE OCCURRED, WHETHER IT WAS ON THE GROUND OR INFLIGHT.

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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