# NTSB investigations: Bell 407, TX

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 CEN26LA185](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA185.md): Bell 407 · Dallas, TX · Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report · May 13, 2026 · N652AE · Substantial damage
  > The pilot’s failure to maintain situational awareness and clearance from the helipad surveillance camera during liftoff.
- [NTSB CEN25LA380](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA380.md): Bell 407 · Decatur, TX · Accident · Minor injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report · Sep 16, 2025 · N407WA · Substantial damage
  > The instructor candidate’s erroneous operation of the throttle during an autorotation from altitude with power recovery, which resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB CEN20CA395](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN20CA395.md): Bell 407 · Fort Worth, TX · Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Data collection · Final report · Sep 15, 2020 · N489DM · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor’s delay in rolling the throttle to the fly position during a practice autorotation maneuver that resulted in a hard landing.
- [NTSB CEN17LA188](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN17LA188.md): Bell 407 · Fort Worth, TX · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Jan 24, 2017 · N6040Y · Substantial damage
  > The flight instructor's failure to prevent the engine/rotor overspeed condition during the demonstration maneuver and the excessive descent rate during the emergency landing, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the engine/rotor overspeed…
- [NTSB CEN16LA027](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN16LA027.md): Bell 407 · San Antonio, TX · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Nov 3, 2015 · N496AE · Substantial damage
  > The failure of the No. 3 tail rotor adapter and shaft due to a loss of torque on the retaining nut. Contributing to the accident was the lack of a requirement to inspect the tail rotor assembly for security in the helicopter manufacturer's maintenance manual…
- [NTSB GAA15CA002](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA15CA002.md): Bell 407 · Justin, TX · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Mar 5, 2015 · N41BH · Substantial damage
  > Abnormal ground contact during an autorotation demonstration, resulting in a severed tailrotor driveshaft.
- [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 OPS10IA132](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/OPS10IA132.md): Boeing 737-7H4 · Houston, TX · Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report · Apr 28, 2010 · N242WN · 2 aircraft · No damage
  > The failure of the local controller to issue control instructions necessary to ensure positive control/standard separation of traffic operating within the Class B airspace.
- [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.
- [NTSB CEN09CA203](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN09CA203.md): Bell 407 · Lancaster, TX · Accident · No injuries · Data collection · Final report · Feb 27, 2009 · N2592T · Substantial damage
  > The failure of the pilot to maintain adequate main rotor rpm and the failure of the CFI to provide appropriate instruction during the maneuver.
- [NTSB DEN08FA101](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN08FA101.md): Bell 407 · Huntsville, TX · Accident · 4 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Jun 8, 2008 · N416PH · Destroyed
  > The pilot's failure to identify and arrest the helicopter's descent, which resulted in its impact with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the limited outside visual reference due to the dark night conditions.
- [NTSB FTW04LA117](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW04LA117.md): Bell 407 · Hurst, TX · Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report · Apr 27, 2004 · N407BP · Substantial damage
  > The student pilot's excessive flare prior to touchdown during the practice autorotation which resulted in the tailboom stinger striking the ground. A contributing factor was the flight instructor's delay to take remedial action.
- [NTSB FTW04FA097](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW04FA097.md): Bell 407 · Pyote, TX · Accident · 4 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 21, 2004 · N502MT · Destroyed
  > The pilot's inadvertent encounter with adverse weather, which resulted in the pilot failing to maintain terrain clearance. Contributing factors were the dark night conditions, the pilot's inadequate preflight preparation and planning, and the pressure to…
- [NTSB FTW03FA118](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW03FA118.md): Bell 407 · Broadus, TX · Accident · 2 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Mar 27, 2003 · N175PA · Destroyed
  > The partial loss of engine power due to erratic fuel flow metering to the engine resulting from the single point failure of the PLA potentiometer in the hydro-mechanical fuel control unit. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain to execute a…
- [NTSB FTW01FA043](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW01FA043.md): Bell 407 · Gilchrist, TX · Accident · 1 fatal · Field investigation · Final report · Dec 29, 2000 · N407MM · Destroyed
  > The loss of control for reasons undetermined.

## 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."eventStateOrRegion" = 'TX' AND c."eventCountry" = 'USA'
  AND c."mKey" IN (SELECT x.case_mkey FROM 'https://openairdocs.org/data/latest/ntsb_aircrafts.parquet' x WHERE x.aircraft_model_code IN ('1182206'))
ORDER BY c."eventDate" DESC, c."ntsbNumber" DESC
```

This list as a web page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb?model=1182206&state=TX

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OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.
