Bell 407 accident near Dallas, Texas, May 13, 2026
On May 13, 2026 at about 2:27 am local time, a 2000 Bell 407 (helicopter), registered N652AE, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (hover) near Dallas, Texas (Baylor Univ. Medical Center da airport). It was a positioning flight under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain situational awareness and clearance from the helipad surveillance camera during liftoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 13, 2026 · about 2:27 am local time · cases in 2026
- Place
- Dallas, Texas · Baylor Univ. Medical Center da · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 407, built 2000 · all 407s on the register
- Registration
- N652AE · registry record · serial 53412
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
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
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (hover) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring environment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,451 hours in all; 885 in this make and model; 43 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 4,971 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 10, 2026
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,091 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, April 21, 2026; 88 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,250 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royce M250-C47B/8 (turboshaft); 3,516 hours total
- Operator: Air Evac Ems INC
The flight
- Departed from: XA61 Dallas TX at 2:27 am
- Destination: GDJ Granbury TX
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 190° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from KRBD, 8 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KRBD 130253Z 19003KT 10SM CLR 22/14 A3006
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cabi | 2 | |||
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 7 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Helicopter on helipad (FAA photo)
Photograph 2 – Helicopter on helipad (FAA photo)
Photograph 3 – Helicopter on helipad (FAA photo)
Photograph 4 – Tail boom / tail rotor (FAA photo)
Photograph 5 – Tail rotor assembly (FAA photo)
Photograph 6 – Tail rotor assembly (FAA photo)
Photograph 7 – Tail rotor assembly (FAA photo)The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on October 16, 2026. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Helipad Surveillance Video Footage | MOV file | Download |
| 3 | Investigation Photos | PDF, 8 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N652AE on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Bell 407 984 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Bell 3,080 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Rolls-Royce M250-C47B/8 12 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Baylor University Medical Center Dallas Heliport · nearest airport
- Granbury Regional · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,244 since 1982 · 1,063 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,976 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN26LA185.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.