Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 206L-4 accident near Chapmansboro, Tennessee, April 30, 2026
On April 30, 2026 at about 7:06 am local time, a 2010 Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 206L-4, registered N409AE, was substantially damaged in an accident during standing (engine(s) operating) near Chapmansboro, Tennessee. It was an other work-use flight under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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
Failure of the volunteer fire department personnel to properly monitor and secure a stretcher, which resulted in it rolling into the helicopter’s tail rotor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 30, 2026 · about 7:06 am local time
- Place
- Chapmansboro, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell Helicopter Textron Canada 206L-4, built 2010 · all 206L-4s on the register
- Registration
- N409AE · registry record · serial 52413
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The air medical helicopter had responded to a call for service, and after landing was sitting idle with the engine running and its rotors turning while the flight medical crew and two local volunteer fire department personnel transferred a patient from a stretcher into the helicopter. Once the patient was loaded, a flight medical crew member told the fire department volunteers they could leave the rotor disk area while they finished securing the patient inside the helicopter. A flight medical crew member then observed one of the volunteers move the stretcher back and away from the helicopter; however, the two volunteers did not leave the rotor disc area. A few moments later, a flight medical crew member watched the unattended and unsecured stretcher roll downhill toward the helicopter’s spinning tail rotor. The stretcher collided with the tail boom and the tail rotor resulting in substantial damage to both tail rotor blades and minor damage to the tail boom.
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
- Ground handling event during standing (engine(s) operating) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring equip/instruments › Emergency services personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,821 hours in all; 691 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 2,691 as pilot in command; 425 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 1, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,971 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, April 15, 2026
- Maximum gross weight: 4,450 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rolls-Royc 250-C30P (turboshaft); 12,346 hours total
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 3,900 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 am from KJWN, 17 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KJWN 300655Z AUTO 36005KT 10SM FEW039 FEW046 12/08 A2995 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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.