Bell 407 incident near Morobe Province, Pg, May 2, 2015
On May 2, 2015 at about 10:20 am local time, a Bell 407 (helicopter), registered P2HSL, was involved in an incident during uncontrolled descent near Morobe Province. It was flown under rules the NTSB did not record. The NTSB record does not give the injuries.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this incident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 2, 2015 · about 10:20 am local time
- Place
- Morobe Province, Papua New Guinea
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- The NTSB record does not give the injuries.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Bell 407 · all 407s on the register
- Registration
- P2HSL · no longer on the register · serial 53726
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · rules the NTSB did not record
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On May 2, 2015, a Bell Helicopters 407 powered by a Roll-Royce M250-C47B turboshaft experienced an unexpected uncommanded high rate of descent while on approach to the helipad with an external load of two diesel fuel drums. The pilot jettisoned his load and subsequently made a safe landing. The investigation is being conducted by the Accident Investigation Commission (AIC) of Papua New Guinea.
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 (partial) during uncontrolled descent defining event
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royce M250-C47B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.