# NTSB WPR26LA062: Bell 407, N404LL, Las Vegas, NV, December 15, 2025

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: December 15, 2025, 02:18 local (10:18 UTC)
- Place: Las Vegas, NV
- Coordinates: 36.134057, -115.13553 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.1341&lon=-115.1355&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Unknown](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/990) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining event: [Unknown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 4 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report March 13, 2026
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Western Pacific Region
- Parties: FAA
- NTSB case key (mKey): 202177
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR26LA062
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/202177/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202177
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR26LA062

## Probable cause

Tail rotor blade impact from an unidentified object at an undetermined time.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); 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)
- [Tail rotor: tail rotor blade](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046410): Aircraft › Aircraft propeller/rotor · Damaged/degraded (probable cause); cases with it: [Bell 407, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046410/cases.md?model=1182206), [All aircraft, 31 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01046410/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

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

- [Unknown: Collision with terr/obj (non-CFIT) ](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470) (defining event); cases with it: [Bell 407, 15 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md?model=1182206), [All aircraft, 10,189 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/470/sequence.md)

## Analysis

The aircrew conducted an air medical flight and landed at a hospital, received a patient from the hospital, and flew the patient to a different medical facility. During the post-flight inspection of the helicopter following the second flight, a dent was found in the vertical stabilizer, and a dent was found in one of the tail rotor blades, which was substantial damage. The time and source of the damage was not determined.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N404LL](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N404LL), registered now, S/N 53446, 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: [Allison 250-C47 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/allison-250-c47-series) (registry code 03029, turbo-shaft) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Helicopter
- Serial number: 53446
- Year built: 2000
- Airframe hours: 11246
- Engines: Rolls-Royce 250-C47B 700 horsepower turbo shaft
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Business, Part 135
- Operator: Air Methods LLC
- Registered owner: Air Methods LLC
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: AAIP, August 20, 2025
- Departed: Fort Mojave, AZ
- Destination: Same as departure
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: NV86
- Equipment: Onboard weather, Electronic flight bag or handheld device, ADS-B, Satellite tracking device

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 48; injuries: none; commercial, private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: helicopter; medical: class 2, with waivers/limitations; last flight review August 6, 2025; seat: right; restraint: 4-point; flight hours: 6,043 total, 590 in this make and model, 5,984 as pilot in command, 43 in the last 90 days, 11 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours
- Other flight crew; injuries: none; seat: rear; restraint: 3-point
- Other flight crew; injuries: none; seat: rear

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night
- Wind: calm
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 48 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observed at: KLAS, 3 nm away

## 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 20251215019049A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20251215019049A), Dec 15, 2025: Bell 407, Las Vegas, NV, Substantial damage. Pilot conducted preflight on ramp at Las Vegas airport. During the preflight, the pilot found a dent on one tail rotor blade and on the vertical fin. Pilot…

## Docket (2 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 13, 2026, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=202177. 6.2 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 10 pages, 1.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19775084&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_1_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos (item 2, PDF, 4 pages, 3 photos, 4.3 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=19775272&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Photos_Redacted-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.

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