# NTSB investigations: Bell 407: Loss of control in flight

NTSB aviation accident and incident investigations since 1962: the probable cause, findings, aircraft, crew, weather and docket of each, linked to the FAA registry and the FAA’s own reports.

## Latest cases

- [NTSB WPR22LA333](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR22LA333.md): Bell 407 · Mount Baldy, CA · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · Sep 4, 2022 · N687AM · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to ensure the throttle was properly positioned before commencing an approach to land, which resulted in a low rotor rpm condition and impact with terrain. Contributing to the accident was a worn throttle detent.
- [NTSB ANC22FA041](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC22FA041.md): Bell 407 · Kalea, HI · Accident · Serious injuries · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Jun 9, 2022 · N402SH · Substantial damage
  > The in-flight separation of the tail boom as a result of abnormal loading and fracture of the upper-left tail boom attachment bolt due to a gap between the upper-left longeron and aft fuselage bulkhead.
- [NTSB CEN22FA100](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN22FA100.md): Bell 407 · Houma, LA · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Jan 14, 2022 · N167RL · Destroyed
  > The pilot’s sudden loss of consciousness for undetermined reasons during cruise flight, which resulted in a loss of control and impact with terrain.
- [NTSB ERA20FA056](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20FA056.md): Bell 407 · Headland, AL · Accident · 1 fatal · Class 3 · Field · Final report · Dec 25, 2019 · N663SF · Substantial damage
  > Pilot incapacitation by a sudden cardiac event related to severe coronary artery disease, which resulted in a loss of helicopter control.
- [NTSB CEN19FA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN19FA095.md): Bell 407 · Galliano, LA · Accident · 2 fatal · Class 2 · Field · Final report · Mar 10, 2019 · N577AL · Destroyed
  > The pilot's loss of control during cruise flight as a result of spatial disorientation while operating the helicopter in close proximity to terrain in marginal meteorological conditions.
- [NTSB ERA17FA274](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA17FA274.md): Bell 407 · Charlottesville, VA · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Aug 12, 2017 · N31VA · Destroyed
  > The pilot's loss of helicopter control after entry into vortex ring state, leading to a high rate of descent to the ground with a right spin. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of recent and recurrent training in vortex ring state recognition…
- [NTSB CEN16LA386](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA386.md): Bell 407 · Lawton, OK · Accident · Serious injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Sep 29, 2016 · N361SF · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's loss of helicopter control during landing, which resulted in a hard landing and collision with a wall.
- [NTSB WPR16FA037](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16FA037.md): Bell 407 · McFarland, CA · Accident · 4 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Dec 11, 2015 · N408FC · Destroyed
  > The pilot's loss of control and collision with terrain while attempting a course reversal after inadvertently entering an area of reduced visibility weather conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's lack of recent experience with night time…
- [NTSB CEN13FA003](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN13FA003.md): Bell 407 · Intracoastal City, LA · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 5, 2012 · N406AL · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s decision to attempt a local flight in marginal visual meteorological conditions and his subsequent loss of control following an inadvertent encounter with instrument metrological conditions shortly after takeoff.
- [NTSB CEN09CA604](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09CA604.md): Bell 407 · Fort Worth, TX · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 23, 2009 · N6040Y · Substantial damage
  > Failure of the pilot to maintain control during landing.

## The whole list in SQL

Runs in DuckDB 1.2 or later on the release's Parquet files over HTTPS:

```sql
SELECT c."ntsbNumber", c."eventDate", c."eventType", c."eventCity", c."eventStateOrRegion", a.n_number, a."aircraftMake", a."aircraftModel", c."highestInjuryLevel", c."totalFatal", c."completionStatus", c.report_url
FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_case_detail.parquet' c LEFT JOIN 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' a ON a.case_mkey = c."mKey" AND a.position = 1
WHERE c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('1182206')
    AND EXISTS (SELECT 1 FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' s WHERE s.case_mkey = x.case_mkey AND s.aircrafts_position = x.position AND s."tier2Number" = '240' AND s.case_mkey IN (SELECT case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_events.parquet' WHERE "isDefiningEvent")))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence?model=1182206

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