# NTSB CEN26LA185: Bell 407, N652AE, Dallas, TX, May 13, 2026 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: May 12, 2026, 21:27 local (May 13, 2026, 02:27 UTC) - Place: Dallas, TX · hospital helipad - Coordinates: 32.788331, -96.7801 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=32.7883&lon=-96.7801&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Maneuvering](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/450) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Maneuvering-hover: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report October 16, 2026 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: FAA Flight Standards - NTSB case key (mKey): 202981 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN26LA185 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202981/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202981 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26LA185 ## Probable cause The pilot’s failure to maintain situational awareness and clearance from the helipad surveillance camera during liftoff. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Use of equip/info: aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040): Personnel issues › Task performance · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell 407, 19 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md?model=1182206), [All aircraft, 9,295 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Not attained/maintained (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell 407, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=1182206), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Attention/monitoring: monitoring environment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545): Personnel issues › Psychological · Pilot (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell 407, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md?model=1182206), [All aircraft, 809 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02021545/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Maneuvering-hover: Low altitude operation/event](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220) (defining event); cases with it: [Bell 407, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md?model=1182206), [All aircraft, 780 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/220/sequence.md) ## Analysis After dropping a patient off, the air medical helicopter departed from the medical center helipad with the pilot and medical crew onboard in night visual meteorological conditions. Video footage depicted the helicopter drift backward as the helicopter lifted off and began a right turn. The climb, turn, and backward drift continued until the tail rotor impacted a helipad surveillance camera which ended the video footage. The pilot subsequently landed on the helipad with substantial damage to the tail rotor blades, tail rotor pitch change links, and left landing skid. The operator reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operations. ## Factual narrative On May 12, 2026, about 2127 central daylight time, a Bell 407 helicopter, N652AE, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Dallas, Texas. The pilot and two-person medical crew were not injured. There was no patient onboard. The helicopter was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 discretionary air medical flight. The crew had transported a patient to the Baylor University Medical Center Heliport (XA61). Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. Before departing, the pilot attempted to contact the Dallas Love Field Airport (DAL) tower controller to request a Class B airspace clearance. When no response was received, the pilot lifted off into a hover in attempt to gain better radio reception. The pilot reported hearing a “loud crack” and felt a jolt in the pedals. he pilot landed the helicopter on the helipad and shutdown the engine. Video surveillance footage depicted the helicopter lift off from the helipad and turn to the right. During the climb and the right turn, the helicopter drifted backward and eventually struck the building mounted camera. The video footage ended at that point. The helicopter sustained damage to the tail rotor blades and tail rotor pitch change links. The left landing skid collapsed consistent with a hard landing. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures associated with the helicopter before the accident. The operator characterized the facility as a “typical” elevated helipad. They also noted that maintaining a 3- to 5-foot hover and visual reference to the helipad environment might have prevented the unintended lateral and backward drift of the helicopter. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N652AE](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N652AE), registered now, S/N 53412, built 2000 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: BELL 407 - Registry model: [Bell 407](https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-407) (registry code 1182206) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Rolls-Royce 250-C47B](https://openairdocs.org/engine/rolls-royce-250-c47b) (registry code 54585, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Helicopter - Serial number: 53412 - Year built: 2000 - Airframe hours: 11091 - Engines: Rolls-Royce M250-C47B/8 650 horsepower turbo shaft - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Positioning, Part 135 - Operator: Air Evac Ems Inc, doing business as Air Evac EMS Inc - Registered owner: Air Evac Ems Inc - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, April 21, 2026, 88 hours before - Departed: XA61, Dallas, TX - Destination: GDJ, Granbury, TX - Flight plan: Company VFR - Airport: XA61, Baylor Univ. Medical Center Dallas - Equipment: Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Satellite tracking device, Onboard weather, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 60; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review February 10, 2026; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 6,451 total, 885 in this make and model, 4,971 as pilot in command, 43 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night - Wind: 190° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 72 °F, dew point 57 °F - Altimeter: 30.06 inHg - Observed at: KRBD, 8 nm away - METAR: METAR KRBD 130253Z 19003KT 10SM CLR 22/14 A3006 ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 16, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202981. 40.1 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20463487&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Accident%20Report%20--%20CEN26LA185_redacted-Rel.pdf - Helipad surveillance video footage (item 2, MOV, 35.9 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20464351&FileExtension=MOV&FileName=Helipad%20Video%20Footage%20--%20CEN26LA185-Rel.MOV - Investigation photos (item 3, PDF, 8 pages, 2.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=20464487&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigation%20Photos-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- 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.