# NTSB investigations: Bell 407: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT)

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 WPR26LA062](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA062.md): Bell 407 · Las Vegas, NV · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Dec 15, 2025 · N404LL · Substantial damage
  > Tail rotor blade impact from an unidentified object at an undetermined time.
- [NTSB CEN23LA053](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN23LA053.md): Bell 407 · Searcy, AR · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Nov 19, 2022 · N184SF · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from the electrical box while repositioning.
- [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 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 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 WPR14CA373](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR14CA373.md): Bell 407 · Moab, UT · Accident · Minor injuries · Data collection · Final report · Sep 11, 2014 · N142MA · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to ensure adequate clearance from terrain while landing on sloped terrain.
- [NTSB WPR13IA059](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR13IA059.md): Bell 407 · Riverton, WY · Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report · Nov 15, 2012 · N7160V · Minor damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient altitude to clear power lines while maneuvering at low altitude. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s failure to follow company operating specifications for minimum altitude.
- [NTSB ERA13FA014](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA13FA014.md): Bell 407 · Coolbaugh Township, PA · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Oct 10, 2012 · N108MF · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s decision to continue visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions due to self-imposed pressure to complete the trip, which resulted in impact with trees and terrain.
- [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 CEN12IA518](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN12IA518.md): Bell 407 · San Antonio, TX · Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report · Aug 5, 2012 · N429PH · Minor damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain clearance from a tower guy wire during the approach to a helipad at night.
- [NTSB CEN09CA275](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09CA275.md): Bell 407 · High Island 138 · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · May 4, 2009 · N164RL · Substantial damage
  > The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the windsock during the approach.
- [NTSB DEN08MA116](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN08MA116.md): Bell 407 · Flagstaff, AZ · Accident · 7 fatal · Major investigation · Final report · Jun 29, 2008 · N407GA · 2 aircraft · Destroyed
  > Both helicopter pilots’ failure to see and avoid the other helicopter on approach to the helipad. Contributing to the accident were the failure of N407GA’s pilot to follow flight arrival route guidelines, and the failure of N407MJ’s pilot to follow…

## 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" = '470' 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/470/sequence?model=1182206

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