# NTSB ERA24LA045: Bell 407, N26VA, Chesterfield, VA, November 16, 2023

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: November 15, 2023, 19:30 local (Nov 16, 2023, 00:30 UTC)
- Place: Chesterfield, VA
- Coordinates: 37.4, -77.516667 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.4000&lon=-77.5167&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Emergency descent](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/600) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Autorotation: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties: FAA/FSDO
- NTSB case key (mKey): 193413
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA24LA045
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/193413/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193413
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA24LA045

## Probable cause

A hard landing, which resulted in a main rotor strike of the left vertical stablizer.

## 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 · Flight crew (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](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Capability exceeded (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell 407, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md?model=1182206), [All aircraft, 1,269 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062000/cases.md)
- [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined; cases with it: [Bell 407, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=1182206), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Autorotation: Hard landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092) (defining event); cases with it: [Bell 407, 13 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md?model=1182206), [All aircraft, 2,102 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/092/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The night training flight was conducted using night vision goggles, and a crew change was conducted while helicopter continued to operate. The maneuvers conducted included hovering, straight-in and 180° autorotations to touchdown, hydraulics off flight, and stuck-pedal flight to touchdown. The flight instructor and the two pilots described the maneuvers as smooth and controlled with no hard landings. A post-flight inspection revealed substantial damage to the left vertical stabilizer, and “rub marks and scratches” on the underside of each main rotor blade consistent with main rotor contact. A main rotor strike of the vertical fin likely occurred during a hard landing at the termination of an autoration, but the investigation was unable to determine the specific training event during which the main rotor strike occurred.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N26VA](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N26VA), registered now, S/N 53688, built 2006 (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: 53688
- Year built: 2006
- Airframe hours: 4610
- Engines: Rolls-Royce 250-C47B 600 horsepower turbo shaft
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Instructional, Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, November 2, 2023, 16 hours before
- Destination: Same as departure
- Airport: FCI, Richmond Exec/Chesterfield County, runway Taxiway A, asphalt
- Equipment: ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Flight instructor; age 57; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review July 20, 2023; seat: left; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 8,700 total, 5,605 in this make and model, 6,757 as pilot in command, 32 in the last 90 days, 18 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours
- Pilot; age 32; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 2, without waivers/limitations; last flight review January 13, 2022; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 862 total, 307 in this make and model, 751 as pilot in command
- Pilot; age 51; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane, helicopter; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review April 24, 2023; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 8,600 total, 690 in this make and model, 6,400 as pilot in command, 180 in the last 90 days, 60 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark
- Wind: calm
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 46 °F, dew point 37 °F
- Observed at: FCI
- METAR: KFCI 152356Z AUTO 00000KT CLR 08/03 RMK AO2 SLPNO T00780028 10150 20072 PWINO $=

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 20231115019969A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20231115019969A), Nov 15, 2023: Bell 407, Richmond, VA, Substantial damage. B407 main rotor contacted the left vertical finlet during landing. Aircraft was towed back to the hangar. Delayed notification. On advice from manufacturer…

## Docket (4 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 27, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=193413. 7.0 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 12 pages, 2.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17371245&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120%20Printed%20Version%202_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 instructor information (item 2, PDF, 2 pages, 2.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17428255&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Pilot%20Information%20Sheet%20-%20Hebert_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Crew statements (item 3, PDF, 4 pages, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17370864&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Crew%20Statements_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photo array (item 4, PDF, 3 pages, 910 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=17371017&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photo%20Array-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.