Bell 407 accident near Jacksonville, Florida, April 11, 2026
On April 11, 2026, a 2004 Bell 407 (helicopter), registered N314JP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jacksonville, Florida (Jacksonville Exec At Craig airport). It was an instructional flight under public-use (government) rules. No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper recovery from a practice autorotation, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor’s inadequate supervision of the pilot receiving the instruction.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 11, 2026
- Place
- Jacksonville, Florida · Jacksonville Exec At Craig · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell 407, built 2004 · all 407s on the register
- Registration
- N314JP · registry record · serial 53587
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot and flight instructor were conducting a helicopter training flight using night vision goggles. The training included multiple hovering and straight-in touchdown autorotation maneuvers. The flight instructor stated that during the last touchdown autorotation landing the approach was normal. He continued that the pilot conducted a good deceleration flare but applied the initial collective too early resulting in rotor rpm decay. The helicopter landed hard on the heel of the skids while applying aft cyclic. The main rotor blades contacted both vertical stabilizers and the tailboom resulting in substantial damage. The operator reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the helicopter that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Autorotation Hard landing defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Pitch control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 644 hours in all; 205 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 455 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 12, 2026
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,500 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 5,300 as pilot in command; 2,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 15, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,901 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 6, 2026; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,250 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royc 250-C47B (turboshaft); 6,901 hours total
- Operator: City Of Jacksonville
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 4,004 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 050° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.26 inHg
- Observation at 8:00 pm from CRG, 10 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KCRG 102353Z 05007KT 10SM OVC060 19/16 A3026 RMK AO2 SLP246 T01940161 10244 20194 53001
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA26LA170.