Bell 407 accident near Columbia, Maryland, May 31, 2013
On May 31, 2013 at about 3:07 am local time, a 2006 Bell 407 (helicopter), registered N407HC, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (cruise) near Columbia, Maryland. It was a public-use flight (local) under public-use (government) rules. No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The short circuit failure of a tantalum capacitor, internal to the engine’s electronic control unit, resulting in an uncommanded shutdown of the engine in flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 2013 · about 3:07 am local time
- Place
- Columbia, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 407, built 2006 · all 407s on the register
- Registration
- N407HC · registry record · serial 53745
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (local) · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a routine police patrol flight, while about 600 feet above the ground, the helicopter suddenly yawed to the left and the red "ENGINE OUT" warning light illuminated. The engine lost all power and the pilot performed an autorotation landing on a nearby football field. While avoiding obstacles, the helicopter landed hard, resulting in substantial damage to the airframe. A postaccident examination of the engine revealed no damage or obvious reason for the loss of power. The engine's electronic control unit (ECU) was removed and was shipped to the manufacturer's facility for evaluation and testing. The examination of the ECU revealed that the engine was operating normally until an unexpected activation of the full authority digital electronic control overspeed protection system fuel reduction solenoid, which is internal to the ECU, resulting in an uncommanded in-flight engine shutdown. A subsequent ECU functional review confirmed that a short circuit failure of a tantalum capacitor was the source of the ECU malfunction. After the accident, Bell Helicopter issued an Alert Service Bulletin and Rolls-Royce issued an accompanying Commercial Engine Bulletin that included the installation of an overspeed adapter to reduce the likelihood of a false overspeed activation.
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 (cruise) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › Fuel control electronic › Malfunction
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,360 hours in all; 1,340 in this make and model; 78 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 4,288 as pilot in command; 1,051 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 30, 2013
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,930 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 9, 2013; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,250 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royce 250 C47B (turboshaft); 0 hours total
- Operator: Howard County Police Department
The flight
- Departed from: FME Fort Meade MD at 2:10 am
- Destination: FME Fort Meade MD
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 am from BWI, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 4 |
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.