Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407 incident near Gulf Of Mexico, December 1, 2011
On December 1, 2011 at about 4:05 pm local time, a Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407, registered N435PH, was involved in an incident during enroute near Gulf Of Mexico. It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the compressor section No. 2 bearing due to false brinnelling and fatigue.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 1, 2011 · about 4:05 pm local time
- Place
- Gulf Of Mexico · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 407 · all 407s on the register
- Registration
- N435PH · no longer on the register · serial 53891
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While maneuvering for a precautionary landing to an oil rig platform because of a chip light indication, the helicopter's engine lost power. The pilot entered an autorotation, called mayday, inflated the helicopter’s floats, and performed a successful water landing. The pilot and passenger were able to exit the helicopter unassisted into a life raft and were picked up within 10 minutes. Examination and disassembly of the engine revealed the No. 2 bearing had failed. Metallurgical examination of the bearing showed the No. 2 bearing outer ring cracked in fatigue due to false brinnelling, which occurs in cases where the bearing is stationary but is subjected to ambient vibration or shock during transport. A spalling area was severe enough to propagate mechanical stress in the outer ring causing the ring to fracture. The engine compressor section was overhauled 2.7 hours before the failure.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (turbine/turboprop) › Compressor section › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,848 hours in all; 849 in this make and model; 238 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 3,834 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 27, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,769 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, November 29, 2011; 2.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,250 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royc 250-C47B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Phi INC
The flight
- Departed from: Ec-278C GM at 4:35 pm
- Destination: Ec-261 GM
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.