What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 2/5/2026 at 20:15 local time, a Bell 407 helicopter was conducting part 135 EMS operations at the Libby, Montana hospital. Upon approach and landing, the tail rotor struck a light that is part of the helipad lighting system. The pilot was able to land and complete an emergency engine shutdown without further damage or incident. After the tail rotor struck the elevated helipad light fixture, a portion of the light lens and casing was projected from the tail rotor contact into the tailboom, resulting in substantial damage to the tailboom structure, requiring replacement of the tailboom.
The pilot reported a normal approach to landing with a slight flare at the bottom of the approach to arrest forward movement before setting down. He stated that he felt the contact, heard noise and felt vibration after contact with the light was made. He was at a low in ground effect (ige) hover over the center of the helipad at the time of contact, so he was able to descend the last 1-2’ very quickly after contact was made without further incident or damage to the aircraft.
Sas task- T-NM05-FY26-0209
As the FAA filed it
ON 2/5/2026 AT 20:15 LOCAL TIME, A BELL 407 HELICOPTER WAS CONDUCTING PART 135 EMS OPERATIONS AT THE LIBBY, MONTANA HOSPITAL. UPON APPROACH AND LANDING, THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK A LIGHT THAT IS PART OF THE HELIPAD LIGHTING SYSTEM. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO LAND AND COMPLETE AN EMERGENCY ENGINE SHUTDOWN WITHOUT FURTHER DAMAGE OR INCIDENT. AFTER THE TAIL ROTOR STRUCK THE ELEVATED HELIPAD LIGHT FIXTURE, A PORTION OF THE LIGHT LENS AND CASING WAS PROJECTED FROM THE TAIL ROTOR CONTACT INTO THE TAILBOOM, RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE TAILBOOM STRUCTURE, REQUIRING REPLACEMENT OF THE TAILBOOM.
THE PILOT REPORTED A NORMAL APPROACH TO LANDING WITH A SLIGHT FLARE AT THE BOTTOM OF THE APPROACH TO ARREST FORWARD MOVEMENT BEFORE SETTING DOWN. HE STATED THAT HE FELT THE CONTACT, HEARD NOISE AND FELT VIBRATION AFTER CONTACT WITH THE LIGHT WAS MADE. HE WAS AT A LOW IN GROUND EFFECT (IGE) HOVER OVER THE CENTER OF THE HELIPAD AT THE TIME OF CONTACT, SO HE WAS ABLE TO DESCEND THE LAST 1-2’ VERY QUICKLY AFTER CONTACT WAS MADE WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT OR DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.
SAS TASK- T-NM05-FY26-0209
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.